One Night and A Brother
by GraePearl
Summary: Evie was a rational person. At least, in front of the public eye and Templars. Take a closer look at the eldest Frye and her life beyond the hidden blade she carries.
1. Just A Feeling

**(A/N) I tried, I really did. I didn't want to ship these two until stupid Ubisoft made me! And also someone PMed me with the request for this. So here's some shipper trash!**

Evie knew she was the more rational of the two Frye twins. Always keeping her head on the right shoulders and staying true to her mission. She was the smart one who ran the technical part of the Rooks, and she wanted to keep it that way. Jacob could be as loud and crazy as he wanted as long as he didn't get innocents hurt, cause the downfall of the country, or himself killed. It was simple, keep an eye on Jacob, live life, and die alone.

Then "he" came around. Well, more like she walked into his shop.

One mission and a train later, he became her closest friend other than her twin. They did a lot together while Jacob screwed up the bank of London, among other things. Some of those things included gaining intel on the Templars, saving children from factory work, and recruiting Rooks to fight against the blighters. And if they had time to themselves, they would sit in the train and research for hours, pointing out interesting facts out of the blue to one another. It was mutual yet made Evie smile her rare and genuine smiles just at the thought.

Then that stupid mission came about.

He went and made himself a decoy and got himself caught while trying to escape. Evie had saved him of course, but scolded her partner for getting caught. She even said he was more useful on the sidelines, back on the train. Ms. Frye could see the hurt in his eyes when she disappeared into the night to get back first.

As soon as she had reached the train though, she had decided to go out and sit on top of a high vantage point for the rest of the night. She couldn't bare to run into him and let the awkwardness consume the small quarters of the Rooks.

It was a good night from where the assassin sat. Men returned home to their families from the factories, women gossiped in the shadows about fleeting scandals, and children throwing stones at stray cats. Not a blighter to be seen and all seemed normal with the world.

If only they knew of the conflict that raged inside Evie's mind at that moment. Would anyone care if she told them? If she just left London right now for a few days to clear her head, would Jacob chase after her? Why was she vehement about staying away from the object of her worry?

All the questions made her head spin. The streets were calming down now. Fewer carriages were making rounds and people began to crawl inside the nearby bars, houses, and alley ways for the night. The wind picked up a bit and chilled Evie even in her layers of her assassin garbs. The stray hairs that always flew about her face stirred and tickled her brow. She reached to brush them away and rested fully on the roof to watch the dark sky.

There were no stars to be seen, as to be expected being in the middle of the city. Even so, Evie searched with her sharpened eyes for even just a glimpse of the bright lights that always hung high and mighty above her head. If she could see them, it might make her problem with her whirling mind a tad smaller.

Alas though, no star shown above the light of the candle lit street lights. Disheartening, but it was never a surprise.

Whatever Evie was feeling through wasn't gone with the stars. Unlike the beacons of light, it burned her inside. A feeling of regret, anger, and longing spiraled into one cluster of nonsense and misplaced words. The regret was from being too harsh with her friend, anger for letting him be captured, and longing...

...that was yet to be determined.

"Brooding again, sister dearest?" asked a voice behind the older Frye sibling. Looking behind her, Evie groaned at the sight of the last person she wanted to tease, Jacob Frye. He wore his assassin wear and his tacky top hat with too much smugness. The urge to knock him off the roof was strong today, especially in Evie's mood. She however appealed to her better nature and opted to leave the area promptly.

"I'm not brooding, I'm just thinking of something." Evie retorted and stood to leap off the tall building into a nearby haystack. She leaped off the structure, extending her arms to feel the air on her body. The world was flying past her as she descended quicker and quicker towards the cobblestone streets, nothing but a hay cart to cushion her fall.

She landed on her back as she had done many times before. The hay gave with her added weight and felt soft against her back. Evie climbed out and pulled up her hood to conceal her face to any Templars that might be out and about at the ungodly hour.

The sound of a body hitting the hay behind Evie alerted her that Jacob was following her wherever she may decide to wonder. A quick check with her eagle vision confirmed her guess, but she only continued to ignore him and walk on towards a random destination. Her brother caught up and fell into her brisk step despite her obvious attempt to get away from him.

"It wouldn't happen to involve Mr. Green looking as if he had just gotten run over by our train, would it?" he asked, poking his sister in the side. It took all her will not to shove him into the nearest puddle and run far away. Instead, she chose to grab the arm that was poking her and twist it behind his back.

"That," Evie kicked the back of his knees and shoved his upper body away from her. "is none of your concern." Evie tossed her head and continued forward.

"Oh really now!" Jacob moaned as he stood back up. He had to jog to get back in step with his hotheaded sister. "So taking down your favorite brother wasn't a reason to warrant some concern."

"Exactly, now go back to the train. I am perfectly alright on my own." Evie's stride widened and her pace picked up in a hurry. Jacob matched her in all most synchronized tandem. The years of training together had left them open to one another's movements and judgments. Even now, he couldn't just ignore the confusion and frustration that he sensed.

"You know, it's okay to talk to me. I may not be a woman, but I do understand when you're a mess" That comment made Evie's pace slow to a more relaxed gait. In a few moments, her feet refused to move forward.

She sighed before looking her twin in his eyes. The same wood colored brown that their father had. Even if he was headstrong and too stubborn for his own good, Jacob was still her twin and only family left in this lonely world. What would be the harm in unloading her insecurities for one night?

"You're correct. It does have to deal with...with Henry Green."

Jacob threw his arms into the air in triumph. "I knew it! Your about as unreadable as an open book dear Evie."

Again, Evie began walking away. She knew he was going to gloat and yet she caved excepting for only a moment for him to be serious. "I was joking!" he called out, rushing to her and grabbing her shoulders to turn her towards him.

"Now what about Greenie?"

That was the part that got Evie ready to combust with that strange mix of an emotion yet again; making her want to run away and hide on another building. "It's just-...he doesn't understand that he's got limits. He got caught, beaten, and dragged across the burrow and yet he insists on getting up tomorrow to help us. Henry isn't even thinking about himself!"

She ducked out of her brother's arms as she stretched her arms to the sky in anger. "He's always trying to help me and forgets that he's not immortal! I swear, it's as if he thinks he has a piece of Eden-!"

She paused mid speech at the sound of stifled laughter. Evie turned to see her brother trying to hold in his chuckled in his sleeves. She rolled her eyes before she asked "What is it now Jacob?"

He recomposed himself before answering. "I-If I didn't know better, I swear you were infatuated with him!"

"Infatuated! Jacob you child!" she scolded, smacking him in the back of the head. He continued to laugh as she chased him in circles, trying to cause a hard smack to her immature younger brother. "At least I'm not a lovesick maiden!"

He pushed an arm out to hold Evie back by her forehead. She tried disabling his outstretched limb with a pink tinted face to no avail. Jacob used his other arm to motion in dramatic fashion that stage performers did.

"Oh Henry! Where art though my dearest?" he teased with a high pitched impression of his shorter sibling. "I swear to father, if your cockyness doesn't kill you, I will!" she threatened.

The two finally broke away and started heading back to the train station in silence. After that show of brotherly teasing, Evie was ready to tuck in for the night and sleep the nightmare of a day away. Jacob wouldn't give her the chance though, and continued with his sibling jests. Only this time, he was much more somber.

"So do you love him?" he inquired without his smirk that was replaced with an honest grin. His sister just kicked a loose stone that was in her path.

"I don't know what I'm feeling. Part of me wants to focus on what's in front of me, while..."

"While what?"

Her hands rung in nervosity. She couldn't quite give form to her words at that moment, and she doubted she even wanted to. Even so, Evie knew the issue needed to be resolved now or not at all. It just wasn't her in her character to ignore what she was feeling.

"Another part of me can't stop worrying about him...about him getting hurt and I'm not there. I want him to be safe, I want him to live a good life, I want him..."

Jacob rested an arm around his confused twin. "You want him to what?"

She stared into the sky. Evie swore she could see one star shining through the city lights. It reminded her of the glimmer Henry got when he found a stellar book to dissect for hours or when he completed a mission without a hitch. It gave her the courage to continue and discover what she was feeling the whole time.

"I want him to spend more time with me. Even if I'm a reserved, locked up, basket case."

"I think you're using 'basket case' in the wrong context, dear Evie."

"And I think you need to stop wearing that stupid hat." she said, flicking the brim of his top hat with a grin. Jacob faked a scoff and clutched his heart in over reaction to her hurtful comment. "Oh how you wound me so! I swear you don't love me!"

"Shut up." Evie said, letting her smile grow into a giggle. "Thank you, Jacob. For everything."

"Don't mention it."

When they reached the train, one of the Rooks were waiting outside the train station. He stood a bit straighter when the twins approached him, ready to relay his information. "Fryes! The train is ready to leave as soon as we get on!"

"Thank you, scout!" Jacob called and relieved him to catch the train. The two siblings jogged the rest of the way to their train and climbed on to turn in for the night. Evie decided to make a detour first to 's car. She had an apology to give him.

Unfortunately, she found him passed out at his desk with an paper under his darkened face. It was almost cute how he looked so relaxed sleeping peacefully under the light of a burning out candle.

"You idiot..." Evie decided to carry him to his bed across the car by wrapping his arm around her neck and hauling him to the messy cot. She set him gently on the mattress and laid him down till he was positioned nicely. She covered him with a blanket just as the train lurched forward and began to move to their next destination.

As she went to blow out the candle on the desk, she saw a note that was addressed to her at the top of the page. Picking up the note, Evie found it was an apology letter.

 _Miss Frye,_

 _I know you're upset about today, or by the time you get this, yesterday. I was careless and let myself get captured. I take full responsibility. What I'm really sorry for is making you worry about me to the point of anger._

 _If It's not too much to ask, would you like to take the day off tomorrow and just enjoy walking around Whitechapel? My treat._

 _Love,_

 _Henry Green_

Evie blushed at the line before Henry's neatly scribed name, but then she found a post note that made her giggle under her breath.

 _P.S. I meant yours truly! I'm sorry about the love thing, unless you-! Oh never mind!_

 _Yours Truly,_

 _Henry Green_

"You idiot..." Evie mused. Her anger was replaced by the emotion again. This time, it was more of a mix of amusement and warmth. Maybe giving their relationship a try might help them both. Evie grabbed Henry's quill tipped pen and wrote under the post note a message of her own.

 **The Next Day**

Henry awoke confused in his bed, wondering how on earth he had gotten there. Sitting up, he began his morning routine of picking up scattered books and loose papers he may have left out the night previous.

The note he had written sat alone on his oak wood desk. His mind cursed himself for even writing the note in the first place. As he went to grab it though, he spotted a small note written in careful handwriting that had been not of his own hand.

He read what it said and felt a deep chuckle escape him. "What a revelation this is." He set down the note and continued to clean up his room. After, he left to leap off the train and catch a carriage before Big Ben tolled ten o'clock.

 _,_

 _Your letter was flattering and I accept your apology. I do believe though that you owe me one for giving me a scare. Meet me at your shop in Whitechapel by ten. I'll take you up on your offer._

 _With love,_

 _Evie Frye_

 _P.S. Jacob has no idea, so watch out!_


	2. When Jacob And Henry Are Away

**I always saw Evie as a curious character who might let her mind tend to wander and make up crazy ideas. It sucks and is a bit weird, but I also wanted to examine Evie's quirkier side.**

 **So I give you "When Jacob and Henry Aren't Home". A satirical character study of Evie Frye.**

Evie sat staring at the chessboard in front of her. All the pieces were lined up perfectly and each of them were stationed to be as uniform as her majesty's royal guard. The rain on the outside of the train's shell rang loudly in the female assassin's ears. It was the best time to play a game on such a dreary day.

There was only one problem.

Henry was gone on some secret 'mission' of sorts. Jacob didn't have the patience for chess and left the train to go exploring in the down pour. Evie was left alone with her thoughts while having an intense staring contest with the checkered panels in front of her.

So here she was, stuck in her mind while her partners got to go gallivant around London town.

"Bloody hell, forget this!" she exclaimed, pushing herself away from the table and walking back to her own car. If she couldn't find fun in this compartment, she look else where for something to do. She wasn't about to lounge around and just be a lame duck when there was work to be done.

When she was making the trip across the car connector, she thought of all the great ideas she could finally try to make real. One was to try an acid tipped hook shot. Why she would need one was beyond her, but she wanted one.

And perhaps she could drop by parliament. She could see how they worked and slip someone an idea to give women the right to vote. It wouldn't be hard to intimidate them with her assassin training and natural talents. Maybe she could convince the queen to come to tea and discuss the political situation? Yes! Evie could tell the queen everything that's wrong! She could save London and find the piece of Eden without any interruption of the Blighters!

But as Ms. Frye had crossed over to the car she and Jacob shared, she lost all confidence in doing anything. It fact, the only thing she could think of was why she and Jacob still had bunk beds at twenty years old. That was what made her forget that she could be overthrowing the throne and remaking London into the industrial capital of the world.

She instead decided to tap her foot and chin, wondering for an alternate solution to her boredom.

In the end, she decided to snoop through her brother's personal items. If she couldn't find anything to entertain her, she might as well see if Jacob was trying to hide a dead body or god only knows what else. He was Jacob Frye after all. He could be hiding a national landmark and be thinking "No one was using, so why not?".

What she found was his old assassin's clothes, complete with his faded ballpoint hat. While he opted to wear his now infamous top hat, he still kept his previous head covering for sentimental reasons.

That's what gave Evie an idea.

She discarded her own assassin's wear down to her undershirt and pants. Evie threw own Jacob's old garbs and hat quickly incase the boys came back early than they had announced. The fruit of her labors was a baggy, gender switch, and honestly surprised Jacob Frye.

That's when she got an even better idea.

She dug around the train and found Jacob's old gauntlet, attaching it quickly. She went to the front and found some coal to give her face a fake five o'clock shadow. Removing her hat, she unbraided her hair and twisted it up into a bun, stuffing the rest into a hat. Evie got a cane sword better suited for her twin and went to the roof of the train.

The rain pelted down of the crossdressing assassin as she found her balance on the slick surface of the metal car Before she jumped, she cleared her throat and whispered to herself in a low impersonation of Jacob "Time to pay Clara a visit!"

 _ **Meanwhile, In White Chapel**_

"You know Greenie, I think it was a brilliant idea to spend an afternoon on a mission together." Jacob said, swing his cane like a true gang boss would. Henry was at his side, taking in the lovely sight of the park they were strolling through.

The two had decided to have a "man's day out" in which Evie wasn't present to correct Jacob whenever he breathed. Sure, it was raining and gloomy and wet, the two had enjoyed a hearty lunch and ale to chase. They had been approached by many fine young women and men alike in brawls according to their gender. Both genders had been declined for it was bonding time for the assassins of London town, minus Evie.

"Indeed. I just wish it would stop raining already. Maybe we could've done a job for ."

"Alex will be fine. Besides, that's more Evie's area of expertise."

"Right, and not to mention your better suited for jobs that include starting gang wars, toppling London's economy, and setting an entire stage on fire."

"In my defense, the man was off his rocker and he started it."

"And you did nothing to quell the flames. What a shame."

Jacob flicked the rim of his top hat, water sprinkling in many different directions. "Small details, Greenie, small details."

The men continued their walk in the downpour, staying under trees as much as possible to be shielded from the brunt of the rain. It wouldn't matter later, because they had a new fireplace added to the train courtesy of Alexander Bell. How he got it on there, no one would ever know.

When Jacob and Henry had excited the park, two Rooks sprinted up to them. Both were panting and their faces smeared with soot.

Jacob was the first to speak.

"What in the name of my father is going on?"

The shortest Rook looked up and saluted out of respect. "I-it's , Sir Frye! She's been taken by a man who has a gauntlet similar to your's! And if you ask me, they look a lot like you."

Henry stepped forward, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "Thank you for informing us. Can you tell us where they were heading?"

The taller of the two stood straighter and pointed to the west of White Chapel. "He took off that way, towards the train station!"

 _ **At The Train Station**_

"It's always a pleasure doing business with you, ." Clara said, her hands linked behind her back as she walked beside Evie in disguise. The fake Jacob winked and replied "You did say for your birthday you wanted to see the countryside. And you promise that you'll get those flowers I asked for?"

"You can count of the children of London, sir!" She said, reaching to hold Evie's gloved hand. The woman gave it a squeeze and they caught their train to go see the lovely countryside of London.

"I wonder if Jacob will notice that I had to borrow some clothing in order to actually make this trip possible?"

She just shrugged it off and continued to move right along with her plan.

 _ **Later That Night**_

"This is really bad, Greenie. Now I can't find Evie either!" Jacob fretted while he paced the floor of the library compartment. Henry sat in a chair, his head hung in deep thought over his research companion's whereabouts. By now, he was growing tired of her twin's worried rambling.

"Jacob."

"I mean, I know she can handle herself, but what if that street illusionist made her pick pocket then throw herself into the Thames?"

"Jacob."

"I knew I should've taken her with us today. Maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Jacob."

"What kind of younger brother am I? I can't even look after my big sister-!"

"Jacob!" Henry snapped. He had it with all the "what if's" and "woe is me". "We need to think rationally. What would happen if Evie saw you like this?"

Jacob hung his head and plopped down onto the nearest sofa. "She'd throw me off the train..."

"Good," Henry patted Jacob on the shoulder before going on. "All we need to do is be patient and wait. More than likely, she went after Clara and is still looking for her without knowledge that the girl had gone with the man on business concerning with the children. She'll be back by tomorrow."

"...you're right, Henry. I'll try to stay calm."

"Excellant. Now let's get some rest. We've been hopping around London far too many times for one day."

 _ **The Next Day**_

Evie jumped deftly onto the train's roof, landing with the grace of a mockingbird. Her fake coal had all but washed off, leaving a clear pink complexion. She clambered down into the nearest car. It belonged to no one, being the library and research hub for all Rook activities. All the books looked freshly organized and neat. It was good to know that someone valued order in a street gang.

traveled through the car's, careful not to wake anyone up. If a door was locked, she climbed onto the top of the train and bypassed it. She didn't feel like dealing with an angry person so early in the morning.

She had just gotten back from her day trip with little Clara. They had gone to a small village just outside of the main city yesterday, and in exchange Clara would keep an eye open for new flowers to add to Evie's growing collection. It was nice to get some fresh air away from the bustling city life full of smokestacks and smog.

When she entered her car, Jacob was fast asleep on the bottom bunk. He was snoring quite loudly and had an arm slung over a stray pillow. It was funny to see her brother so tranquil and relaxed. Better than seeing him smug to the teeth and teasing her all the bloody time. Even so, she still loved him with her whole heart, despite their fights and bickering.

Alas, it was time to go back to her usual attire and be Evie Fyre again. Too bad women weren't allowed to buy train tickets without their man doing it for them. Maybe a trip to parliament was in order for next time, perhaps?

Just as she was about to strip herself from the heavy coat, she heard the door to the cabin click open. Evie froze and was poised to spring at the person who had walked in.

She stopped herself when she saw Henry come in to wake up Jacob.

Both were at a standstill, no one daring to move out of shock. suprised that Evie was wearing Jacob's clothes and Evie that Henry almost saw her "comprimised".

It was a long while until anyone spoke, and Evie was the first to speak.

"Don't tell Jacob."


	3. What Comes Around, Goes Around

**I can't believe you guys like this, but here's another one. I would like to thank Louberry, MrNoobishDude, Tanjamsen, and heatwillthaw for following this story. And also Ale Nightshade, AnneSopSop, Curious-Brunette13, and twanycat for favoriting this story. You guys are the best!**

 **This time, Evie has her fun with Jacob and his teasing. I give you "What Comes Around, Goes Around", or if Jacob took an interest in a girl.**

"So let me get this straight, you took my clothes without asking?"

"Yes, and they need to be thrown in the river. The have an awful smell."

"Then you stole Clara from the barrow to go see the countryside?"

"I didn't steal her, brother. I merely took on her on an excursion."

"And you did it all because you wanted the children to keep an extra eye out for more flowers?"

Evie sighed and shut the book she was trying to read when her brother rudely barged in to belly ache about the events that took place two days ago. "Yes, and it was a deal well made. I have almost collected all the flowers I need due to their efforts." She pushed away from the desk she was sitting at and began to leave the train car to return the book to the library car.

"If you excuse me, I'm going to return this book and have an intelligible conversation with someone who's not you."

Jacob made a quick step though and blocked her from touching the door handle. "Oh no you don't, sister dearest. You can't just gallivant to go butter up Greenie whenever you want. There has to be boundaries!"

The elder Frye was growing tired of her twin's antics. She already received an earful from him last night about alerting him where she was at all times. Evie just shoved him out of the way, preparing to leave Jacob alone.

"I have no idea what has gotten to you, but knock it off. There is nothing going on between me and Hen-...go find something productive to do."

With that, she turned the cold, metal knob on the door and stepped out to jump to the next car. The wind outside rushed past her as the buildings below the track were a blur. The air had a faint smoke taste due to the train going through a factory district. It was a grey afternoon indeed.

Evie crossed to the next car, careful not to slip and fall between the interconnected locks that held the cars together. She was through to the opposite door promptly after another safe crossing.

The next car was low lite with the shades drawn. Book shelves lined the walls of the compartment with a desk taking up a small space. A bed, neatly made, also sat in a corner with a trunk resting underneath. It was only protruding slightly, enough to be seen. The faint smell of ink hung ghostly in the air of the room, comforting the woman.

This was Henry's car, everyone else called it the library. Evie often visited the car for new material to read or to check up on her fellow assassin. By the looks of it though, the man had long since left the comfort of his private quarters to go exploring around the city. It was a bit sad that Evie couldn't talk to him, but she would find something else to do.

She returned the book to it's proper place on the right self and pursued another for her to delve into at a later time. As she searched the carefully organized spines for a new read, she wandered too close to the desk and knocked over a stack a papers, spilling them over the carpeted floor of the compartment.

"Oh no." she muttered to herself as she bent over to pick up the scattered parchments and place them back where they belonged. As she shifted through the mess, one thing caught her eyes. Clearing away the brunt of the papers, she placed the stack aside to find a letter addressed to Jacob, but the sender was someone she didn't know. The penmanship was calculated and lovely to gaze at. Every stroke was graceful to a point and was without a spelling error. Her curiosity got the better of her in the end. Looking around, she read the letter.

 _Dear Jacob Frye,_

 _Thank you so much for escorting me through Westminster. Sure, those Blighters were a bit of a problem, but you took care of it. I don't know how I could've achieved my goal without you, Jacob. You're always the gentleman, you are._

 _Annie also wanted to say hello as well, but you had to leave and meet your sister for an evening patrol around White Capel before you got the chance. That's our luck I guess. She sends her greetings!_

 _I look forward to next "adventure"._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mary Kimber_

"Who is this 'Mary Kimber'?" Evie thought aloud. She had to read over a second time to make sure that she hadn't missed anything. Jacob be described as a "gentleman"? It was absurd and out of place in his character. Not once had he ever been polite, well mannered, and civilized in any social situation. It was always Evie who was the one to deal with the pleasantries and have to make up for her twin's lack of restraint.

"Ah, so you found it, too." a voice asked from behind. Evie turned to find Henry standing with his hands placed behind his back. That's when the questions bubbled in the back of her throat that she couldn't keep back any longer let loose.

"Who is this Mary that has written to Jacob? I swear if he has done anything, I'll make sure he will lose the last of his dignity." she cursed, showing Henry the letter and putting on a sour face to match her confused anger.

Mr. Green took the letter and pointed to the name signed delicately at the bottom of the page.

"Mary Kimber is a nurse and single mother that Jacob has been running into. She has a four year old daughter named Annie and the two make home visits on behalf of the mother's employer. She is a very kind woman, around you and your brother's age as well."

Evie stood still, taking the unheld half of the letter and pointed to the first and final line. "What does she mean by 'next adventure'? Do they meet up often?"

"That depends of your definition of 'often'. In my opinion, yes they have teamed up on multiple occasions." he said, taking full custody of the letter. "If you ask me, Jacob has grown quite attached to both Mary and her little one."

Evie put her hands on her hips, a devilish grin creeping onto her features. "Attached you say?"

 **The Next Day**

Jacob was sneaking out early today. It was unannounced and completely uncharacteristic. He only woke when pressured to get up and start the morning. Not to mention he was done up. Well, about as done up as one would expect from him, but he was still looking very posh for just going on a walk. He even brought his cleanest cane sword and favorite top hat. His shoes were shined and his coat clean and devoid of imperfections. Yes, the picture of a wealthy gang leader and average gentleman.

Evie wasn't buying any of it though. He was more than likely going to go see someone important, looking as if he ruled the burrows with style. She saw the opportunity of a lifetime, catch Jacob in the act and meet the mysterious Mary in which she has learned about.

So here she was, perched on the street corner in disguise courtesy of Sargent Abberline. Today, she wasn't Evie Frye, but a well dressed business man, complete with a new cane that Jacob had never seen her use before in action. Agitha lent her some real makeup to help hide her freckles much to her dislike. It had to be done though for the sake of the assassin's need to check up on her brother.

Her brother was waiting outside of a house with a sign that read "Dr. Jones Medical Practice" and such. That must be the place where the lady of mystery worked. Jacob was pacing on the sidewalk with his cane twirling idly, careful not to hit any unlucky passersby. He had been out here for about ten minutes at least, and he still was as content as he was the moment he stationed himself outside. Usually, he would've given up the first five, but this was truly a miracle to be documented in history.

Finally, a woman emerged from the building. Her blonde hair was tied up into a bun and a bag was clutched in her left hand. She patted her brown skirt as she began to speak to the now smiling Jacob. Evie perked up to listen in on their conversation.

"I'm sorry that took longer than I thought. Dr. Jones needed assistance with a fussy child who refused to take his medicine." she said, Jacob pulling her into a tiny embrace. Evie could feel her mouth start to quirk up at the show of affection.

"No worries! It was worth the wait." he exclaimed, breaking the hug and offering his arm. "Shall we, Ms. Kimber?"

The lady, now definitely Mary, looped her arm around his own. "Gladly, Mr. Frye."

The two began to walk down the street away from where Evie stood. She moved with the precision of her craft and began to follow at a distance, listening in as she pursued the pair.

"So what stops are we making today?"

"Well, I have to see Miss Fredrick again about her aching stump. And then I have to make a routine check at Emmanuel's as well. Finally, I'm going to finish the day by traveling to the asylum to drop off admittance papers."

"So does that leave room for lunch?"

"Indeed it does."

"Good, because I made plans."

 _"Jacob made plans to eat a meal that doesn't taste as if it had been shoved into a smoke stack? How very peculiar."_ Evie questioned in her head. This day was getting more interesting by the second.

For four straight hours, Evie trailed the two as they made their three stops. In between, the two had made small talk, discussed the political situation, and just babbled about whatever random topic that arose about their journey. It was remarkable to Evie how polite Jacob was. When she tripped, he was there to catch her. If she was being "looked at" by a group of men who didn't know their place, Jacob would flash a deadly glare to make sure they knew where they stood. And when she went inside a home to administer care, he would accompany and assist Mary as directed. Even if he made a very "Jacob" fashioned statement, Mary would take it in stride and actually laugh at his horrid sense of humour.

It made Evie very proud to be his twin, if not only for today.

After they made their stops, Jacob had led his companion to one of the prettiest parks in all of London. The leaves were beginning to change into their fall attire and the local fauna were preparing for the winter winds in silent haste. The smell of fresh rain settled around the area, masking the taste of the city on the senses. People of all classes were enjoying the splendid day alone or in groups. Mothers watched their children frolic about, scolding them if they ever misbehaved. Groups of men sauntered along, tipping their hats to other groups of men. Women gossiped about whatever was an interesting development. A refreshing picture of a fine autumn in a city full of filth and deceit.

Evie lingered by a tree as she watched her targets sit on a lone bench to watch some ducks cross a walking path. It was odd that they hadn't moved and just spoke in hushed tones for a good couple of minutes. If Evie didn't know better, they were waiting for someone.

"Mummy!" a high pitched voice called from the down the path. Looking away from her brother, Evie saw a tiny girl being followed by an elated woman. The child ran faster at the sight of Jacob standing from his spot and opening his arms to her.

The little girl flung herself full force into his hug, wrapping them around the man's neck. Once she was holding tight, Jacob spun her around while laughing.

"Well, hello Ms. Annie!" he chuckled as he lowered her back to the ground, crouching to meet her at eye level. "How was Ms. Smith today?" The woman who was behind Annie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm doing well, until she went running to meet you and Mary." The other three started laughing again at the attitude of the lady named Smith.

"So that's Annie, Mary's daughter." Evie whispered under her breath. "Jacob and Mary were waiting for her." Jacob held Annie as he and Mary talked with the newcomer before she walked off the complete other tasks she had to take care of that day. When all was said and done, the trio headed off the go have lunch at some random cafe.

When the group was far enough away, Evie decided that it was time to drop her mission and go elsewhere. She didn't know if Jacob had noticed her tailing him by now, and she didn't want to find out the hard way. Perhaps she could gather more flowers for Henry, or go speak with Charles Dickens about his newest idea for a story. In the end, she decided to take the latter option. Dickens did mention he wanted her opinion on a new chapter for his latest masterpiece.

Even if she was buzzing with excitement to help shape a new story that could sell billions of copies, something was ringing in the back of her mind. A tiny sting that made her want to scream out and confront it. She just couldn't quite figure it out. All she knew is that it had to deal with the events of today.

It all of a sudden hit her. Everything that had been nagging at the back of her mind had some to light. Jacob was genuinely committed. Not just as in a courtship, but all the whole package. He had a connection with the family of two the spoke volumes more than anything in the world. He cared for Mary and Annie with all sorts of love and affection. It was a marvel and a dream all in one, only it wasn't a dream at all.

It was real.

Evie could only smile her genuine smile. Under the September sky, the eldest Frye realized something beautiful. Her brother was growing up and falling in love, at long last.

 **The Next Day**

Evie sat in her favorite chair, musing and reading about all sorts of stray concepts that few could grasp. A fine suit was neatly hung in the corner of her living space, ready to be returned to Sargent Abberline. The smell of fall leaves clung to it, possibly because of yesterday's investigation.

In came Jacob, whistling and twirling his top hat. All that was left was for him to break into an Irish jig and sing a pub song. These shows of glee did not go unnoticed by Evie.

"Having a good day, brother?"

The gang leader shook his head. "Just thinking of something wonderful." he replied while setting his hat aside and turning to look at their suspect web. Red string connected at the right points, tracing who knew who together. Black X's were placed over certain heads of deceased targets and liberated burrows. Though there few, there was still a decent amount for just starting out a few months prior.

"Good." Evie closed her book and stood to retrieve a letter from a nearby side table. She waltzed up to her twin and handed it to him. He turned it over in his hands, looking it over with care.

"What's this?"

A smirk crawled all over the female's face. "An invitation, Jacob."

The man never lost his giddiness despite Evie's abnormal behaviour. "To whom, may I ask?"

Evie glanced back before leaving the train car to go exploring. Her smirk had grown a bit too wide, making Jacob nervous. "To a Ms. Mary Kimber. I believe you know her."

Jacob paused, a frown on his face. The gears in his head were turning as he tried to piece together what Evie meant by her words. Only after his sister left, he understood her tone and shifty gaze. He stuffed the letter into his pocket and pursued his fleeing twin.

"EVIE! WHAT DO YOU KNOW!?"

And thus was born the greatest and most tiring game of cat and mouse that the world has ever seen.


	4. Drinking and Sick Days

**I'm not ashamed of this chapter. Just gonna say that right now. "Drinking and Sick Days"...sorry I'm not sorry.**

"Go home miss, you're drunk off your rocker!" A chair was thrown out the door of the pub, breaking as it hit the streets of London. The sounds of a bar fight echoed in the night.

Evie was dragged out of the bar by Jacob, giggling with pure joy. Her clothes were covered and smelled of the strongest booze on this side of the pond. " _Go home miss, you're drunk off your rocker~_!" she copied while trying to contain her laughter, waving her hand around. "Oh Jacob, we should do this more often!"

Her designated walker just rolled his eyes. Evie insisted that she could out drink her brother on this fine holiday, but ended up starting a bar brawl in her intoxicated state and getting thrown out for destruction of not only the whole pub space, but also multiple bones in the process. And her poor brother had to play the straight man for once and escort his sister home.

And drunk Evie was a fate worse than death.

"Oh look! A horsey!" And speak of the devil, drunk Evie had a certain soft spot for animals when she had too much. She shoved her brother away, making him stumble backwards to trip over the cobblestone. Evie rushed over to a nearby carriage with two quarter horses. When she reached them, she nuzzled the beast with a childish squeal. The horse just stood there with it's partner, nonchalant in the night.

Jacob sat up on his elbows watching his only family left acting as if it was personality swap day, and participation was mandatory. Even if he had gotten Evie to finally touch a drink in her life, it was scary to see her acting as if she were a ten year old princess from the palace of her great majesty the queen.

"If Greenie finds out that I even took Evie to a pub in the middle of the night, I'll never hear the end of it." he sighed. "At least it can't get any worse."

Jacob Frye was about to eat every single word.

As soon as he uprighted himself, he only caught a glimpse of his sister climbing aboard the carriage and riding away cackling like a madman. At least a madman wasn't even a fraction as dangerous as Evie Frye with a carriage, drunk, and on the prowl.

"Evie! Come back!" he yelled, jumping to his feet and running after her. Alas, she disappeared around a corner, throwing her fist up and screaming "Come out and fight me Lucy Thorne! For my brother! For London! For Family!"

Jacob stopped dead in his tracks, staring in disbelief at his predicament. He had just lost the most deadly woman, and possibly the deadliest person alive when they are drunk and very unable to handle themselves. He removed his top hat and placed it over his heart.

"God bless the unfortunate soul who has to deal with her."

The hat was then placed atop his head, and he turned heel to run away from the scene of his greatest mishap yet. He walked a few more blocks until he stopped to see his rampaging sister coming back. She jumped straight off the carriage and reentered the pub they pair were just kicked out of.

Jacob appealed to his better nature and went to retrieve his twin before she started the first world war.

 _ **The Next Day**_

Jacob sat beside his hung over sister. Henry was crouched in front of her with a cold compress on her forehead. Evie held her stomach, pale and green all at the same time. It was obvious she was extremely hung over from last nights escapades.

"Well, I hope you learned your lesson Jacob. Try to keep your sister from drinking contests from now on."

The eldest Frye whimpered under the icy touch of the compress. Jacob chuckled under his breath at his sister's second hangover in her life. The first one couldn't hold a candle to this one though. She heard and mustered the strength to smack him in the back of his head. The sudden movement caused her to topple over into a pile of moaning and crying about bad decisions and horrible chicken feathers. It only made her twin laugh harder at her plight.

"I hate you-" she tried to say before throwing a hand over her mouth and midsection. Henry acted quickly and gave her a bucket before she could throw up on the floor of the train. When the bucket was within reach, she ripped it from the man's grip and emptied her stomach. Both of her fellow men stood by as she suffered, rubbing her back and holding her hair away from her vomit.

When the Evie stopped only moments later she brought her colorless face to meet her brother's.

"I hate you with a burning passion." she snarled. Jacob threw his arms up in defeat. "Don't look at me that way! It wasn't my fault you can't hold a pint or two."

Henry instead shoved the bucket onto Jacob's lap. The man flinched away from the smell of the awful bile and digested mush. "Why do I have to deal with it? I didn't do anything that wasn't justified!"

Evie clasped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes tight her twin's raised volume. "Go away, Jacob. You're being obnoxious." she cried while trying to curl up into a feeble ball on the younger Frye's bed.

"Fine, but next time you have to take care of me." With that, he left with the bucket held at a distance, his face wrinkled in utmost displeasure. "How does Mary deal with this on a daily basis?"

When Jacob left the car with a metallic clank of a closing door, Evie uncurled from her position and huddled under the covers of the bed. She could honestly care less that the sheets smelled of her eccentric twin. All she wanted to do was sleep off the painful headache and ignore how empty her stomach felt. Even trying to pull the blankets over herself was an impossible task. Her body refused to move farther than the mattress, leaving her to grapple at thin and frosty air as she shook like a leaf in autumn.

Henry was with her thankfully. He pulled the blanket over her quivering form and retrieved more from her own bunk, using them to make her nice and comfortable. Once she was tucked away in the fortress of cotton and wool, he walked out of the room to the dining car. Agitha was working the counter, so she was more than happy to give Mr. Green what he needed. He had taken it upon himself to request the kitchen make some lavender with a hint chamomile to aid with her trouble of going to bed. If it worked, she would fall asleep in no time.

After he gathered his items, he went back to the car. Evie was tossing around on the bed, failing to find rest in her sickly state. Henry crossed over to her side and took a seat next to her bedside with the tea in hand.

She turned over when he appeared though, her hair out of it's usual braid and instead tied into a hasty bun. It certainly wasn't horrible, but it was all too common of a style. When he looked at her, she really didn't seem like the Evie Frye he had come to know. She was feeble in presence, eyes watering with pain, and with skin that was ghostly white. It was such a stark change from the strong stance, burning gaze filled with quiet confidence, and a complexion healthier than a newborn.

It was almost a foreign concept for Evie to be so defenseless.

"Is that something to drink?" she asked, her bloodshot eyes combing over the cup steaming from his hand.

Henry smiled and handed the woman the tea. "It's lavender tea with a bit of chamomile. Those herbs are used to help with sleep. Drink as much as you can." She greedily stole the cup away and downed the contents within a single swipe. The feat was astonishing and scary all at the same time. Once the whole cup was emptied she tenderly took it away from her mouth to return it to the shocked Henry.

Evie saw his confusion and surprise written all over his face. There was no doubting that she had indeed just gulped up piping hot tea in only a few seconds flat. The tea alone must've scolded her for being reckless, but she felt so hollow she would eat the mud off of Jacob's boots to satisfy her hunger. Not that she would tell Jacob this fact, but it was true either way.

"Thank you for the help Henry." she said, laying her head back on the pillow to relax and enjoy the peace that was certain to come falling down. Her eyes were drooping at the herbs starting to take effect on her senses. She would have to repay Henry ten fold.

"Think nothing of it, Evie. I was just being a friend-"

"No really... I'd like to thank you for not just this." her voice cut it. It wasn't as confident or posh as her normal tone. In fact, it was downright coarse and sounded as if it had been worn down with exhaustion. Even so, she still commanded the same amount of attention and respect she always does.

"I never thanked you for getting Jacob and I settled down in White Chapel. And also the time that my brother was away and you jumped in for him. And that instance where I couldn't find my favorite book, free use of your library, helping with our research, giving us connections, and even offering new weapons to our disposal. Not to mention the countless times-" In mid sentence, she began to yawn as if she was trying to eat an entire elephant on her own in one bite. The tea's plants were starting to take affect on her already dimming energy. Any moment now, she could fall straight asleep and stay there till God only knows how long.

Henry chuckled at her flattery and need to recall every time he just happened to lend a hand. "That's quite alright. And if it makes you feel accomplished, your gratitude is very refreshing to hear. Thank you."

Evie let a tiny smile, the one that she reserved for those rare moments of jubilation. Not the monumental type of moments that are recognized by the public eye or even in a small group of people. It was one of those smiles that was only presented in front of a select few group of people. While small in comparison, it held all the warmth and light brighter than any light ever seen. The gesture was pure and honest happiness.

Jacob was the first to see it, being her only family in the world and closest friend alive. Her father was the second, beaming himself at the contagiousness that it was. Clara was the younger sister Evie never had, and when they were out and about together, one grin would slip between the pair. And now Henry had witnessed the wonder that was the rare smile of Evie Frye, and was lost the moment he saw it.

"It's getting really dark...I don't want to sleep just yet." she finally croaked out. Her eyes were almost shut and her body was starting to submit to the prospect of rest. The Indian assassin knew that she wouldn't be awake much longer, but for some unexplainable reason in his head, he didn't want her to. He wanted to talk more, wanted to learn what else was on her mind, share with her about anything that popped into his thoughts.

"I know, but you need the sleep." was all he could say, resting a hand on her shoulder. It was just a simple show of friendship, but it still held much more on a subconscious level. He was about to pull away when she snaked her own fingers into his own. The touching skin alone made his mind spiral in circles, trying to come up with a rational idea as to what was going on. When Evie laced her fingers with his, that's what made his entire brain refuse to even make an attempt to get away from her. She had caught him off guard.

"Don't tell Jacob about this...I'll never hear the end of it." Her voice barely a whisper. Henry had to fight the heat that began to rise in his face. If her brother found out, that would be the end of both their dignity. It was best for both of them that they just enjoy the moment and let it be. He squeezed her hand, letting her know he wasn't going anywhere. In return, Evie squeezed right back.

Henry stayed until she finally drifted off into a blissful sleep.


	5. A Friendly War

**I've had this over my head for awhile now, and since the Henry/ Evie ship is growing on me, let's see Evie's explanation from "When Jacob and Henry Aren't Home". I give you all "A Friendly War".**

Evie sat across from Henry, a chess board between them as a game had just begun to unfold. It was another free day for the two, so they decided to leave the small task that was to be done to Jacob while they took a much needed break from babysitting the youngest Frye and his band of Merry Men. Even if it was a decision they may soon regret, for now they would enjoy an entire day without disruption from Evie's brother.

Both had opted to ditched their heavy coats and gauntlets in favor of plain trousers and under shirts. There was no point in having them on if there was nothing to be done outside of research, reading, and an endless stream of chess matches. They had gotten so comfortable, they had ditched their shoes three games ago. The footwear could be found lying idly side by side on the floor, carelessly placed by their standards.

The Indian assassin took careful consideration over what next move she should make. While it was the early point of the match, it was best to get a jump on your opponent before they know what hits them. In other terms, if he wanted to gain the upper hand early he would have to set up his pieces carefully ahead of time before it was too late. He moved his pawn, clicked his pocket watch to a stop, and ended his turn with a small wave of his hand.

"Your move."

"Right" Evie responded, clicking her own watch to begin her move. She too knew the importance of staying one move ahead of the enemy. The concept was familiar to an extent of becoming a sixth sense. It had served the young woman well in her trials and day to day happenings. As she thought through her plan, Henry had leaned back in his chair and observed the way her mouth had become a hard line, her eyebrows burrowing in deep contemplation. The eldest Frye's hand absentmindedly rested right under her chin as she hovered over her army like a general planning for a real war. Even if, there was a fire in her blue eyes that made her all the more dangerous and worthy adversary.

Such eyes held curiosity and wonder for knowledge on any other day. That's what prompted Henry to break the gentle silence and make conversation, the curiosity that he had been harboring for so long.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing the other day?"

Evie paused, her features relaxing into a confused expression. She looked up to meet the vague question that her partner had brought up.

"What do you mean?"

Henry inclined forward to rest his arms on the table. "That day when you...um...when I found you with Jacob's old clothes and you were-..."

A tiny heat crept onto Evie's face, but she did her best to suppress her embarrassment at the near accident that could've gone another "path". She made her move and clicked her stopwatch to a halt before answering.

"Yes, what about that day?"

"I have been pondering if I should even ask, but what were you doing for almost two days that would warrant you to dress in your brother's old clothes and disappear?" He had set up his bishop to move into the fight by moving a pawn away from his path. Evie had decided to take in the subject presented for a moment before beginning her story. of that day.

"Do you remember when I had fallen into a slump with the flower collecting?" Henry passed off his turn and she made her move.

"Yes, but how does you crossdressing come into this tale?"

His friend chuckled for an instant before returning him the right to try and break her defenses. "At first I was just walking around the train, honestly a bit bored. I guess not having Jacob around to babysit every waking second took a toll on me."

"That's what happens when your siblings cause more trouble than the world can handle, Ms. Frye. Your move." Evie, giggling under her breath, thanked him then set up her rook to defeat his barricade.

"Yes, you hit it right on the mark."

"I try my best. So what happened when your kin decided to take me on a ride."

"I went onto our room to look for nothing in particular. While I was surveying our room, I saw a trunk poking out from under his cot. At first, I wanted to pass by it and let it be. Being Jacob, it was probably something absurd."

She clicked her watch and the turn was now Henry's. "So your need for answers drove you to search the box." He ended his turn and Evie began her next.

"Yes, and I found the clothes. I thought it would be funny to see if I would fit into them, so I gave it a try. When I had them on and looked in the mirror..." her voice trailed off, her hand that was hanging over a pawn wavered in its attempt to move the wooden statue from the square it resided upon. This hitch in her stride caused Mr. Green to lose his ever present smile. A line was what replaced the usual calm grin.

"What did you think of when you looked in the mirror?"

Her hand was pulled back to her lap as she stared at the king and the pawn she was about to move. The first was tall and regal, but even so it didn't move very much compared to the queen piece. The pawn was very different. It was small, more overlooked in the ranks of the black chess battalion that she wielded at her beck-and-call.

"I saw Jacob...a better looking one if I might add."

She paused so her friend could chuckle into his palm at how poor of a joke she made. While Henry spoke, she went back to moving her pawn to nearly miss the opposite Bishop by one panel.

"I don't know if the real Jacob would agree with you."

Evie removed her hand to end her turn, throwing on her infamous Frye smirk. Her eyes were a conveyed a different story though, full of emotion and longing.

"He's just jealous that I was born not only first but also with our mother's beauty and father's cunning."

Henry made haste to dispatch another of Evie's pawns for getting too close to his side of the board. He handed off his turn to her, leaning back further on his chair without a care of the consequences later on.

"I can't disagree with you on both statements, but Jacob might have a thing or two on the matter of the first."

"Please, Jacob doesn't know true beauty if it hit him in the face."

Evie swept in with her rook to make her advance on Henry's defences. Both had suffered great loss when it came to their cannon fodder, but none had been touching the other's major pieces just yet. Their queens and kings remained at starting position, finding no motivation to be retreating or joining the battle anytime soon. Evie had other ideas, breaking into enemy territory to begin her strike on Henry.

"After I realized how similar I looked to him, how I could pull off being a man, I made my move. I found Clara and made a deal with her in exchange for pounds and a trip to the countryside for one day through night."

Henry was given permission to move once more, sending in his left knight to defend his stay with all his might.

"If it's not too much to ask, what was that deal?"

His knight was moved at the exact position to take out her rook. She had no means of escape, so she had to either abandon her piece and move another, or try to escape but risk letting her king be exposed to his bishop. In the end, Evie sacrificed her rook to defend her win for one more turn.

"The deal was that they would look out for more flowers I haven't found yet."

"Really? All that trouble and stress you put on Jacob just for my collection? How noble of you, Miss Frye."

The two went back and forth for several more rounds, both gaining more and more losses as the minutes dragged on. Some banter was thrown out in a volley of words and laughs, neither caring how long their war had dragged on. It had been an hour and a quarter since the start of the game.

Alas, Evie had lost her queen in a tango with Henry's pesky bishop and her right rook was taken care of rounds before. All of the Frye's other pieces were preoccupied or too far to rescue her victory. It truly was a dire situation for her. Even her opponent was ready to utter the famous phrase that had been drilled into her mind as the ultimate defeat.

"Any last words before I take away your king?"

"No, go ahead."

Henry took her confirmation and moved his remaining knight to finish the battle.

"Check mate."


	6. Drinking and Dancing

**This story got more popular than I thought. Also, thank you for being patient as I've procrastinated for days and days. Sorry about that! Let's keep things going with "Drinking and Sick Days" part two, "Drinking and Dancing"! Back by popular demand, let's get started.**

"I dare you to say that again, sire." Evie growled with a pint of ale clutched in her gloved hands with a killer look on her face. Her face was flushed from previous alcoholic beverages being consumed by herself. A man was leaning over the counter next to her, blocking off Jacob from intervening and stopping him from making a huge mistake. He smirked and got closer into the woman's space while swirling a cigarette in his mouth.

"I erd' you out drank ol' Tucka' down the block! I challenge ya' ta' a lil' drinking game, unless yer' too chicken?" he took his cigarette and put it out on the top of the bar next to her hand that clung to her latest refill. Jacob peeked from the challengers shoulder, trying to get her attention by making the sign for "Don't do it, remember last time?". Fear lit his eyes as the other patrons gathered around the bar to await Evie's answer.

The fiddle player that once held a lively tune ceased at the

She wasted no time, slamming her drink down and standing to face the man and his offer to try to out drink her.

"I'm not one to back down from a challenge." she said, cracking her knuckles with an evil chuckle and murder in her gaze. The pub erupted in cheers and hollering for their favorite. Jacob was mortified at her willingness to the game. He hadn't forgotten what happened last time, vomit and all. The younger Frye wanted to keep his sister from starting another pub fight, twice in the same night.

The center of the room cleared for the competitors to sit at a lone table. Evie removed her heavy coat and tossed it at some random Rook who accompanied the twins for the night. He had caught it and retreated into the crowd of drunk factory workers and bruts of other gangs. The other man passed off his coat to another man who stood close by the two drinkers.

When the two were sitting down and staring each other down, the pub keeper came to the table with six beer mugs over flowing at the brim and spilling over onto the tray. He set them down between the two.

"Alrigh'! The rules are simple, out drink each other to win! GO!"

With that, both greedily rushed at a mug as the host went to get refills ready for the next bout. Jacob could only watch from the counter as his sister finished her first drink off in a matter of seconds. She smashed the mug on the ground and grappled for the next one while her opponent was still chugging down his first. The whole pub cheered and yelled for the person they supported in the fight of tolerance. Evie's side of the room was laughing at the struggling man.

When his twin reached the third mug, Jacob decided to leave and enlist the help of the only man who could help.

The gang leader turned on his heel and hurried out the door to get his last hope in London to make sure history never repeated itself a second time.

In his hurry though, he forgot his lucky top hat on the bar next to his pay.

 **One Escort Mission Later**

"You left her alone?"

"No! I left a Rook or two in charge of her." Jacob shrugged as he and Henry Green hurried in a carriage towards the pub that the latter had fallen back from to get his acquaintance. Henry rubbed his temples and sucked in an icy breath, trying hard not to push Jacob off the seat.

"Only God knows what she's done while you left her unattended." he mumbled as they neared the pub. Jacob pulled back on the reins, clicking his tongue to steady the horses.

"You know, Greenie? Last time she cuddled the horses like a child last time."

Henry just glared at him, unamused with the young man's attempt at humour. "London is in danger of Evie in a drunken state of mind and you choose to say that?"

"Yes?" Jacob said, leaping off the driver seat. Henry followed, careful to avoid a snowdrift on the curb. Music from the fiddle that had stopped before Jacob left was playing again, this time to a familiar tune. Both men stepped up and swung the door open only to get a rush of heat and a chair being thrown at their heads.

Thankfully, they both ducked in time and the chair crashed in the road, smashed to pieces. The two peered into the pub, fearful of the outcome.

The whole room was packed to the brim of men toasting and laughing in an intoxicated chorus. It spilled onto the streets of London without a hitch or pause at the sudden chill from the outside weather invading the space. In the center of the room, there was Evie, swinging her cane sword around while standing on a table. Her sleeves were rolled up and a dark object was clutched in her other hand. Her drinking partner had collapsed with his face pressed against the table while she had one foot planted on his shoulder.

"Starrick is just a glorified child! He couldn't rule London even if it bowed down and said so! I say he should fight me! Right here right now!" she yelled, raising her cane sword to plant it into the wooden table next to the man's head. The crowd below her called back to her, shaking the foundation of the establishment down to everyone's bones. It wouldn't surprise anyone if the tyrannical man had come and rise to the grand call for a brawl.

From her back, Evie brought forth a top hat and placed it on her head. She raised her cane sword and started speaking in a lower tone. "And Jacob's stupid top hat is mine! I look better in it anyway!" The other patrons agreed, some calling for a toast to the woman. Jacob was mortified though, reaching up to smack his forehead at him leaving his favorite hat in the clutches of the last person he wanted it to be in the hands of.

Henry had enough of this and pushed through the crowd with Jacob simmering at his heels. Sweaty bodies and unfavorable smells invaded both their spaces as they advanced further to Evie. The experience was unpleasant to say the least. It made both of them rethink coming back, but the thought of leaving her alone with blood lust for their enemy that could very well kill her was what spurred them on. When she started making up an irish jig on the edge of the table, kicking her opponent into a drunken heap as she improvised her way around the wood made the men speed up to catch her.

They reached Evie by shoving away a line of coal stained workers that were copying her assassin two-step in an attempt to get on her good graces. It wasn't working, but she was still jovial for their participation and conviction. She showed this by flashing her devil smile and "accidently" letting her sleeve slip partially off her shoulder. Not enough to be considered scandalous, but enough to get the boys howling as if they were part wolf. Jacob had to take a second to understand what had just happened, turning to Henry for explanation. Instead of a logical output, he had a blushing Indian who had his head in his palms with shame.

After her moment of "exposure", she went into her quick jig once more at the beat of the fiddler's tune. Her boots clicked on the table top with all the spice and vigor of the melody that carried over the sound of catcalls and whistles for more. She gladly answered their calls, incorporating her assassin training into her steps. Her arms waved around in a storm about her, adding to her passionate style.

But, as she made a wide side step, her foot slipped off the edge and she was sent tumbling to the floor of the pub. Laughter filled the room as she sat back up and joined the noise without a hitch.

It was the last straw for her two companions. Jacob went first, reaching her side to support her from laying down. Henry went around to her other side and did the same as her brother. She still chuckled even after landing on her back like a fool, leaning on both men for strength to stand.

"You took long enough Jacob! I missed you." she giggled, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. The younger twin's face lit up like christmas at his sibling finally showing adoration towards him for once. She gently removed his hat and adjusted it atop his own, a goofy grin plastered on her features. When she pulled away, she turned to Greenie and started breaking out into more laughter.

"Why do you look so uptight?" Her smile full of mischief return as her eyes flashed dangerously, an idea brewing in her mind. "I bet you I can solve that problem." she said, her words laced with seduction and tease. Before her brother could stop her, Evie swooped in and landed a kiss on Henry. The entire pub broke into a wild cheer and the catcalls were at their worst. Jacob stood with his mouth hung open and shock.

"My sister is never going to live this down."

 **Three Days Later On The Train**

"Did gaya' er'? Lil' Ms. Frye snogged that dark chap Enry'! Righ' on the kisser!"

"I heard that she started undressn' im right in the middle of the Boar's At'."

"That ain't true, but the poor fellow had to get help to get Frye off of im'."

Evie rested in the shadows on the corner that was near Alexander Bell's home. She was just getting her gauntlet readjusted and upgraded. He had done a fantastic job yet again, making the speed of her chain shoot faster with less friction in between. She was having a nice and casual walk back when she caught some of the Rooks talking about the night she accidentally drank too much...again.

Her brother had filled in most of what she had done, from her drinking contest to dancing on the table top like a doll. And now, she had just discovered the one thing he hinted at, but never specified out loud. Her fists clenched and unclenched as they snickered in greater detail about how her brother made her angry and started yet another bar fight with the twins at the center at the action. After the two were kicked out agian by the pub owner, she fell right asleep with her brother's top hat still secured on her head.

Evie had enough of their gossip and stepped out to reveal she was listening the whole time.

"Hey, Rooks."

All three men turned to see her face, filled with fury and promise of murder. She was no longer calm and collected Evie Fyre who could take any punch at her pride and reputation. This Evie was ready to throw all of London's bigwigs into the Thames, spitting on their heads as they struggled to try and climb out too safety.

To say the men were afraid to even speak for their actions was the biggest lie in the world. They were ready to run as fast as they could and never look back. Evie could smell the fear they permitted from where they stood shivering in their boots. It was enough to make her soften and replace her furious look with a smirk.

"I've got a job for you."

She nodded her head to follow, and the three did so with energy in each step. The youngest lad was the only one brave enough to ask the question that the trio were too terrified to ask.

"Um, Miss Frye? If you don't mind me askn', wha' are we gonna do?"

A devilish grin creeped onto her face, unseen by her recruits. She cracked her knuckles and flicked open her cane sword with malice coating the air around her.

"I think it's time Jacob learns not to withhold information from me."


	7. If There Was More Time

***sigh* I really, really try hard to keep the tone lighthearted and cheery, but I guess it's time to get serious.**

 **A couple of weeks ago, someone gave me the idea to write about Jacob and Evie's father and his treatment towards Jacob. At first, I was excited, but then I thought about it. How would Evie explain it? How would she feel? I had no idea how the topic would even be presented. Recently, I have the answer.**

 **Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you "If There Was More Time".**

 **PS, I have not read the novels, so if I get something wrong, let's just say it's my headcanon and I'm an idiot.**

Evie sat waiting on Big Ben. The crisp air of night stung her exposed face, mostly her ears. Her cape flapped slightly in the wind behind her shoulder blade. The gauntlet she wore felt tighter than ever on her hand to her elbow. Her usually calm heart was beating with nervousty overcoming her rational thinking.

Her heart was constricted and hollow in her chest. The wind wisped past her as she crouched on the rooftop, concealed in shadows. She didn't even try to hide the fact she was stressed and hungry. What would anyone else expect from her staying up there for almost two days, only leaving to get water and food.

Evie hadn't gone back to the train since those two days. It was too much for her to go back now, too painful for her soul to take in at one time. Besides, how could she face her brother, how could she even begin to apologize? All that and more haunting questions filled her head with grim thoughts.

She couldn't take it anymore. Too much was going on inside of her. So many emotions of hopelessness and despair swelled within, consuming her with grief. It started to spread, pricking in her eyes, nose, and mouth. Soon, she couldn't fight back the sadness, but gave in completely to it's unpleasant hold. Evie laid on the dirty ground on the balcony, tucked up her knees, and began to cry.

" _Jacob...I'm sorry."_ she repeated over and over. Her hand brushed over the metal casing of her gauntlet, her fingers skimmed over the dried blood that she had drawn. No words could describe the amount of guilt and fear she had been harboring over what she had just done. Nothing on this Earth could convince her to forgive herself for the trouble she had caused.

" _How could you, Jacob? You went to a brothel, ran into a Templar, and assassinated him in front of the whole bloody group of women and patrons? How daft are you!?"_

 _Jacob threw his hands up, frustrated and defeated at his sister's constant lecturing. "He was about to hurt one of the women. What was I supposed to do? Watch him kill her and let him walk away?"_

 _Evie seethed, unable to control her rage now, she got up from her chair and shouted at her brother who was slumped onto the couch. "You could've been at least a bit more tactful you brainless tit!"_

 _Her twin had snapped as well, getting to his feet and standing at full height. His face was only centimeters from her own, but just as furious. "If I'm brainless, that makes you a fool who can't even decide what she want's to do with her life." His voice then became mocking as he raised the pitch immensely to imitate a female's. "Oh, I'm Evie Frye. I'm loyal and smart, but I can't make my own life choices worth a damn!" he spat, venom poisoning the joke with malice._

" _Stop it, Jacob."_

" _What about when we were kids? You were always the favorite. Always following the rules, conforming to the Creed, kissing up to George in Crawley. All for what? To chase after some mythical fairy tale!"_

" _The Pieces of Eden are no laughing matter!"_

" _And what about Greenie? When are you going to stop denying that you love him? We all know-"_

" _Now listen here Jacob Frye-!"_

" _NO! No more listening! No more commands! Just because you were father's favorite, doesn't mean you can boss me around like you're my mother!"_

" _I wasn't! He loved us both equally!"_

" _That's a lousy excuse, and you know it Evie! You were always his favorite, I was just his disappointment. The black sheep of the great Frye family line! It was always about you-"_

 _The eldest Frye had enough of him mocking her. Evie cracked her knuckles and hurled a punch at his smug, yet enraged face. He didn't dodge in time and received a metal packed strike to his left cheek. The second one that followed hit him square under the jaw, this time without the added force of her gauntlet._

 _Jacob fell to the floor without a single yell, clutching his injury and curling into a feeble ball. "Leave me alone. You only make things-" Evie choked on her words when she heard muffled sniffles ._

 _He was crying._

 _It wasn't loud, or ugly sobbing of men and women she had to kill, a last ditch attempt for their lives to continue. Not the silent crocodile tears that she had come to expect from his joking nature, but real crying. It was subtle and almost unhearable to any normal person. The sound was caught up in his hands that covered himself from her sight, making it sound softer than she knew it was._

 _It was loud enough for her though. Her mind was sent reeling and her pulse spiked. Her gauntlet fist felt wet. When she looked, she found that blood was seeping into the protective glove and stained the steel shell. Her blood ran cold at the sight at the liquid, freezing her in place._

" _W-what...what have I done?"_

 _Before her mind had a say, Evie ran out of the car and took to the streets of London._

"Had he always felt this way?" she asked herself, wrapped up in the memory that was tonight's terror of her mind. The scene was played over and over again, sinking her deeper into depression.

"The Black Sheep"

"Disappointment"

"Father's favorite"

All of these words he used to describe their father's feelings towards his children. Evie had known her whole life that she was the talented and most worthy successor to the bloodline of Frye assassins. Vigilant, patient, precise, strong, and intelligence beyond her years. She followed orders without fail, never deviated from the mission, and above all, had a not once let her emotions get the better of her. Some of the higher members of the Creed talked of her being their replacement when the time came for them to join their brother's and sister's in another life.

Jacob on the other hand...he was less than the Creed's standards. Always getting into fights, almost always compromised missions, and couldn't keep his act together. Father was always much harsher on him. Her brother was always scolded, always berated...

...always second best to her.

It destroyed Evie when she realized this. She could deny it all she wanted, but there was no hiding the truth from her. Jacob was different, he wasn't like the other assassins. he couldn't stop his true colors from showing underneath his short lived patience.

She was too tired, she didn't want to stay awake any more. Evie decided to quit and let her body slip into a cold sleep. Maybe the dipping temperatures would help harden her back up. What harm could one night outside do to her?

As she began to lose her grip on the real world, she thought back to a moment when she saw her brother in a different light for the very first time. It was a fine spring morning, their second year with their mentor, George, in Crawley.

 _Dawn was beginning to break of the horizon of the train yard. Evie stood atop on of the cattle cars, watching as the sun peered up and kissed the earth with its warm rays. She didn't cover her eye, but faced it head on without even blinking once. Just as she had always done for her whole life, she was waiting contently for the action to start._

 _Someone joined at her side, she could sense them before they approached with her Eagle Vision. It had become a sixth, automatic sense to her in the years she had been training to be the best assassin of her class._

" _Up again, Evie?"_

 _Her sense didn't fail her, it was her overseer, George. She smiled and stretched her palms to the brightening sky._

" _Did you expect anything less?" she teased, letting a yawn loose from her mouth. Her new companion chuckled and rested his hands on his belt._

" _Your training has been coming along quite quickly. Soon enough, you'll find yourself with some children of your own to mentor."_

" _God bless them, whoever they are. I won't make it easy on them...just like father."_

 _She could sense George stiffen slightly at the mention of his ill friend. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared passively off in the distance._

" _That's not true."_

 _Evie was confused. Her father had pushed her to the limits of her talent. Everyday was filled with constant striving to be better than the last. It was always one more mile she could run without stopping, one more punch before she passed out, and one more push up she could do. She could never take a break without being assaulted into another mock sparring lesson. And how could she forget the time she was locked in her room and wasn't let out until she dismantled her gauntlet a hundred times. She was only a child then._

" _What do you mean it's not true? He always pushed me harder than most. He always expected me to succeed at everything."_

 _George sighed and motioned with his head for Evie to follow him for a walk on the tracks. She went along, listening to every word._

" _Do you remember your mother, Evie?"_

" _No, she died while giving birth to us. I wish I could meet her." she admitted, wringing her hands nervously._

 _The man sighed and let a ghost of a smile on his face. "She was a lovely lady. Not fit for the life of the Creed, but still tough as nails." he said, a far off expression replacing his grin. "Your father used to always go to her window and climb inside her parents house to be with her until the sun came up. A few years, and they snuck out to go drinking, swimming, and some other 'adult' activities."_

" _Reminds me of something Jacob would do." Evie thought. Her mentor continued, leading them out of the train yard and to the town._

" _One day, her parents found out about the nightly courting and arranged a marriage for her. The boy was rich, proper, and not an air of danger about him. The perfect gentlemen."_

" _What did father do?"_

 _George scoffed and threw his hands in the air. "The bloody fool didn't do a thing! Cecliy ran away to be with the poor bastard!"_

" _Really?"_

" _Really. You should've seen the look on Ethan's face when she came up the path to his parents mansion with a stupid grin written all over her." he said, obviously recalling the memory in his mind. She could imagine it too. A pretty young woman walking towards her family home, beaming sunshine as she approached her dumbstruck father._

" _Father must've been so happy."_

" _You bet he was. He got on his knee a week later and they were married without a second thought. In only a few months, they found out they were having you."_

 _Evie couldn't help but let her joy show. It was a little hobby of her's, but she enjoyed happy endings when it came to love. It didn't matter what kind, she always wished for the best in her heart. There was just something very charming about the topic._

 _Of course, her happiness was short lived when she remembered the tragic conclusion to the story._

" _What happened next?" she asked, more somber than before._

" _Eight months into her pregnancy, something went wrong. She went into labor while your father was away on business. She thought was only having you, but then..."_

" _Jacob."_

" _Yes, the nurse who helped her told her that there was still one left. The last push was what caused complications. There was no doctor, no midwife, no one who could prevent the death of your mother."_

 _The air turned sour, even with the freshness of morning dew clinging to the building and signs, there was no right way to handle the hole in Evie's heart._

" _I...I know..."_

" _It's okay to be sad, even if you never knew her."_

" _Yes...I understand. I still don't understand why father isn't as harsh as I think when it came to my training."_

 _George softened, walking slower to take in the daylight. Children and women began walking the streets to go about the their business. Men walked with ladies on their arms, or in groups of their own gender to work._

" _Jacob has her eyes. Cecily's were a darker shade of green, but he still has the same determination that she had."_

" _He does?"_

 _George pointed a gloved finger to emphasize his claim. "You can bet a Piece of Eden he does. He also inherited her spirit, thirst for danger, not to mention her pension for violin."_

" _I don't think that's how it works." Evie said, her eyes squinting with scepticism. He insisted though. "Where do you think your father got the violin, he played it himself. Ethan can't play to save his goddamn life."_

 _Evie let a chuckle escape her lungs. Her seriousness set back in when she realized George still didn't answer her question._

" _George, I still can't understand what Jacob has to do with all this."_

 _He just kept walking, head facing forward and not looking back. His hand reached to flip up his hood, and Evie did the same, following him to an alley way to free run to the roof tops._

" _I can't tell you everything. You're a clever young lady, just like your father." As they reached the top of the roof and began to start a morning warm up, he threw under his breath on last comment._

" _You love people like him, too. Tough, but deep down you're just a child who needs to stop blaming everything on yourself."_

The sun was just beginning to ascend into the sky when Evie woke up. Her bones were chilled to the core, protesting for warmth. She fought back, raising from her concrete bed. Big Ben was about to strike six tolls, a perfect time to wake up and start the day.

Evie rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took a lung full of morning air. She brushed the light frost from her jacket as she stood up. Looking below her perch, she saw that the guards were switching, so she could slip by unnoticed into the other boroughs.

After meeting the ground and stealing a carriage, she thought she would pay Alex a visit. He was leaving for a trip to America soon and might need help packing some of his inventions to take along. Who knows how many weigh enough to crush him? Only God knew the answer to that question.

She reached his home, but sadly found he was out. She opted to ditch her ride and wonder about London, dipping her head to any Rook or friend of the gang as they walked by. The day was still young and a good book and Agitha's good cooking was tempting. It might not be so bad to just go home and apologize to Jacob. He may forgive her after three days of cool down. Maybe Henry was around and willing to go on an adventure.

No, it wasn't time yet. After that fight, she didn't think she could ever go back. Knowing Jacob, he might make things worse and pick right up where they left off. There was no doubt that Mr. Green knew about the spat. He wasn't one to tolerate violence, especially between family. Who knows how mad he'll be.

What he never forgave her? What if he was happy that she was gone? Without her, he didn't need anyone nagging at him to not do this and that. Jacob could live his life as he please. Evie's pace picked up as her heart beat faster and faster. Breathing became harder to control and the sides of her vision were blurring. Death, loneliness, and guilt gnawed at her insides.

She was tired.

Tired of being perfect, tired of being the big sister, tired of being useless as her brother's only family left.

Evie stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, somehow she had found herself near a busy intersection. The world of London was fully awake and moving. People moved about their affairs, unaware of the storm that raged inside her. All the noise of feet, wheels, and hooves on cobblestone faded as her world started to become filled with anxiety. She tried desperately to cling to some type of sanity, anything to keep her tethered. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, stinging and burning in her lids.

"Someone help me!" she whispered, clutching her head.

A sudden scream ripped through the air. Evie halted, her breath stopping. She forced herself to look up and see what was happening. People came running down one of the intersections, putting traffic at a standstill. Evie threw her head in the direction that the people were running from. Smoke was billowing into the air.

"Oh no." she whispered, taking off in the direction of the smoke.

Reaching the destination, she found that a house had caught fire. Pedestrians were running from their homes, trying to flee before their own houses were caught in the blaze. Evie ran over to see if anyone needed help, but the police had roped off the main building and prevented any bystanders from entering the area.

One woman was arguing with a policeman who was holding her back.

"You must go back!" she cried aloud as Evie approached. "There's someone still in there!" She recognized this woman who was being pushed away by the line of officers. It was Ms. Smith, Annie's nanny. The nanny was distraught by the time she had reached her and began to sway as if she were about to faint.

"Ms. Smith!" Evie exclaimed, getting a grip on the fainting woman. The older woman fell into Evie's arms and leaned on her for support. "Who are you, Miss?" she asked with frightened tears in her eyes.

"My name is Evie Frye, I'm Jacob's sister." she said, holding Ms. Smith as she sank to her knees in defeat. As soon as she wiped her tears away she grabbed the collar of Evie's shirt and gave her a shake.

"The police won't let me go back! Annie's still in there!" Annie, the little girl that was Marie's daughter. The woman's whole world, and the closest thing Jacob had to a child of his own. The girl's nanny then went back to hysterical sobbing, letting go of Evie. "Save her...p-please."

Evie had gotten the green light. She got up from a kneeling position and took off for the burning house. The line of police noticed who she was and didn't stop her as she went straight for the door. The flames were licking at the windows, trying to get her. Quickly, she did a quick sweep of the levels and found a small form in a room. She raised her gauntlet and shoot for a broken window on the second floor closest to the person. She reached it within a moment, tucking and rolling into the fire.

The air was thick with smoke, choking her in it's hot embrace. A sweat broke out on her neck and forehead in the unbearable temperature. She had to ignore that though, she wouldn't have much time left once the fire reach the lower floors and ate away the support beams. Some of the upper carpet was already singed and revealing the wood being burned away next.

Evie surged into the fray, covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve. It didn't help in the least as she went straight for the nearest door to search that room. Her eagle vision was focused on the small form of a child hunched away in a corner. It must be Annie. The door itself was wide open, exposing her to a room that was beginning to burn on one end while another was caked in black smoke. Evie decided to chance it and uncover her mouth to scream into the smog.

"Annie!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Her insides were rewarded with a gulp of the black death from the fire. Her cough racked her entire body, shaking her to the core. Her throat seared with agony, feeling dry and barren. She would kill of a drink of water to cleanse her system of the awful draught she was forced to endure.

"I'm here!" A tiny voice called, coming from the small lump that was straight ahead. Evie rushed in, her coughing increasing as the heat rose in the room. She peered behind a couch, and there was Annie in her brown dress, covering her head and tears in her eyes.

When the blonde looked up and saw Evie though, she smiled while she cried. "Are you an angel?" The young woman scoffed and ripped off her heavy jacket. She quickly slung it over the girl's shoulders then picked her up in her arms. "No, just someone who wants to help."

Annie nodded and clung to Evie's neck. The child shook as she buried her face in the older one's neck to keep the smoke away. The girl would be safe if she kept still while Evie moved around. The Frye was only clothes in a simple, white button up with a vest for protection. If Evie was hit by a flaming object, then it was all over.

Evie leaped out of the room, the floor creaking at the weight of the two. The flames were more intense and grew larger in size. The small hall was now a dangerous spot. The window that Evie used to get in was blocked by a fallen, ablaze beam. There was no way the two were getting out the way she came in.

The brunette swept Annie away, making a break for the stairs. Each step was perilous and tricky. Sometimes, a flame would try to tickle Evie's boots, sending fear up her spine. The child clung for dear life, trusting the assassin the whole trip down.

The down stairs was no better. Flames had eaten the entire area. Paintings melted from the swelter. Rugs were charred black and the beams began to crack. The door down here was also blocked by a wall of burning wood that had fallen from it's position. There was no hope of escape from here.

Evie sprinted back up the stairs, her eagle vision growing dimmer and dimmer. The smoke was taking affect, and soon she would be a tar filled corpse. Annie couldn't make it out on her own strength. There was only one exit she could find.

The rooftop.

The climb was a huge blotch on her memory. Nothing made sense except that the crackling was now ringing in her ears. The strange part was, her brother popped into her head.

The first day they came to London and he borrowed Mr. Green's carriage.

" _Who's a good horse? You are!"_

The excited look on his face as he announced his master plan to start the Rooks.

" _And we'll call ourselves...the Rooks!"_

" _You were never good at chess either."_

And finally, as she reached to final level, the last thing she heard before a beam fell on her back and pinned her and Annie to the ground with no hope of escape was her brother's concluding words to her.

" _That's a lousy excuse, and you know it Evie! You were always his favorite, I was just his disappointment. The black sheep of the great Frye family line! It was always about you!"_

At that moment, as the embers scolded her skin and the pitiful screams of the helpless girl she tried desperately to defend echoed in her head, she realized it.

Jacob and father, her and Jacob. Jacob was like their mother. He was too much like her. Her father was distraught, so he took it out on Jacob. All the pain, all the suffering, but also all the love. Evie saw it all too often. Their father could've had him expelled from the Creed, cast out from that world.

But he fought to keep his son by his side. He never once destroyed him, never once ever cast a blind eye. He trained up his son and watched him grow with his twin.

As cruel as it may seem, there was no way that Jacob would have been with his family without that push. If father hadn't been tough, Jacob could be anywhere but here in London.

Evie's brain was falling apart. The pain on her back ceased and her body shut down. The sound of flames licking at her were all but background noise. It was only here and the frightened sobs of Annie below. Evie accepted that death was looming on the horizon.

But she wasn't taking Annie to Hell with her.

She made the daring decision to quickly roll off of Annie. Once she was on her back and the column free from Evie's body began to fall, she thrusted her arms out to keep it from making the full descent. The embers dug into her hands, but she had to ignore the pain for the little girl's sake. Once the beam was secured in her hands, she dragged her feet out from a pile of rubble and reared them up to meet the wood. With a mighty kick, she hefted the column away with a yell of effort.

The beam rolled away, sending sparks flying across the room. Evie resecured Annie in her arms and followed the path the beam had fallen from, the roof. There was a gaping hole where it fell, leaving Evie to just use her gauntlet and escape swiftly. The smoke rushed up and out of the same hole they used to make their getaway, clouding the assassin's vision. Her sixth sense was failing, her surroundings shifting back to reality.

It felt longer than a few seconds, but she broke the cloud and landed on the next roof with Annie clutched to her chest. The two unhooked and splayed out on the panels. Evie could feel her lungs staining to draw air. When the sair did come in, it stung her burned throat, making her body ache all over.

She knew that she had inhaled too much smoke. If she didn't get medical attention soon, she would die.

Evie would die.

The very thought was funny to the woman. She had always planned to die in battle at an older age. It seemed like the perfect and most honorable end for a person of her caliber. Nothing less would be a stain on her pride. But this death was more than enough. She could pass on knowing that Annie was going home.

Part of her wished that she could make things up with Jacob one last time.

The bells of the fire constable pounded in her head. People screamed that there were victims on the adjacent roof who needed help. There was a charcoal smell that hung in the sky, flushed out by the cleaner air that overpowered the stench. Lazy clouds floated above, puffy and white with endless promise. They were so soft looking, Evie felt if she could reach far enough, she could use them as pillows. Tiny hands shook her shoulders, begging her to get up.

The begging, the bells, and screams died and all that was left was her eyes starting to close. The blue of the daytime sky was a beacon of happiness in the now darkening world. Tears began to fall silently from her blue eyes.

Before the black consumed her, she heard familiar voices and felt something pick her up and carried her away, but it was too late.

Her body went limp, her breath coming to halt.


	8. Forgiveness Means He Cares

**That last chapter though. I got really into it, so I'm making this not just a two-parter, but a three-parter. I hope you guys are ready! Enjoy "Forgiveness Means He Cares".**

Jacob was pacing the train for the hundredth time today. Mary sat on a bed with Annie sleeping peacefully on her lap. Henry was sitting in silence, his knee bouncing restlessly as he sat in deep thought. The wheels on the train clicked on the track as they were reaching their destination. The gang's train needed mandatory maintenance. While that was going on, the four would be visiting Evie. The air was filled with anxiety, leaving everyone but Annie full of nerves.

The youngest Frye gave up on walking around and sat beside the blonde woman and her little girl without disturbing the sleeping child. He leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his weary eyes. A hand reached around his shoulder to stroke his hair. While it was only a small gesture from Marie, he was comforted by her support.

Two weeks, two weeks and still no progress in his sister's health. Jacob's mind began to wander back to the scariest hours of his life.

" _Please tell me that they're fine! They have to be fine!" Jacob shouted at the nurse who was holding him back from seeing his sister and Annie. The nurse stood a firm ground, blocking him from entering the room. "I'm sorry, Mr. Frye, but the doctor is with her now and Annie will be released as soon as possible. Please stay back."_

" _At least let me see them!" he pleaded, his voice raising to try and intimidate the woman. She didn't falter under his dirty looks, but cast some of her own._

" _Wait here." she concluded, ducking back into the room, the lock making an exaggerated clicking noise. It was obvious she wasn't going to put up with the young man's persistence to check on the two patients._

 _He growled under his breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He didn't have time to grab his top hat as soon as a Rook had tracked him down. "Where's Greenie when I need him the most?" he mumbled as he took a seat to wait for Henry to arrive. A Rook was also sent to Mary's place of work. There was no way that Jacob could deal with this problem alone._

 _Minutes went by, which turned into an hour. Still nothing from anyone. The only thing that was accomplished was Jacob ringing his hands till they were raw and numb. The Rooks hadn't returned yet from bringing their charge._

 _The door to the examination room opened. A girl with her blonde hair unkempt and a bandage on her head stepped out with the reluctant nurse. As soon as the child saw Jacob look over and give her the best smile he could muster, tears sprung into her eyes. She didn't waste another second and flung herself into his waiting arms._

 _He smoothed her hair as she cried in his chest, her body shaking with her horrible sobs. "There, there Miss Annie...everything is going to be alright." Annie shook her head though, sniffling to try and reply back to Jacob._

" _I-I didn't mean for Miss E-vie to get hurt!" she cried, new tears pricking in her soft brown eyes. The man sighed and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Now, now, dry those eyes. Evie isn't going to get better by crying. We've got to stay strong for her."_

 _Annie sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. She stuck up her pinky and puckered out her lower lip. "Promise?" Jacob grinned and hooked his own pinky around her's. "Count on it."_

 _After their moment, Jacob hoisted the girl on his lap and turned to the nurse. "What do I need to know." The old nurse folded her hands over her slightly bloodied apron and raised her chin in a matter to show who was in charge. "She just has a sore throat and a couple of scratches. The smoke barely affected Annie thanks to the heavy coat that Miss Frye covered her in. It saved her life."_

" _And what about my sister?"_

 _The nurse removed her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "She was multiple burns on her back, possibly a cracked spine, and serious lung damage. It's hard to tell if she'll make it."_

 _The young man's heart sank as he held Annie's tiny hands in his own. "Is there anything you can do?" The older woman shrugged and placed her spectacles back on her face. "There's a will, and there is definitely a way." And with that, she disappeared behind the door, leaving the pair to themselves._

 _For the next couple of minutes, the two sat playing hand games and Jacob telling stories until the girl had fallen asleep on his lap. The grandfather clock ticked on in the corner of the room, tempting the man into sleep, but the prospect of seeing his sister first kept him awake._

 _The sound of a door opening and people speaking to the down stairs nurse echoed unclearly on the second floor. "Thank you, Miss!" He heard a soft voice call from the staircase that lead to the waiting room. In stepped Mary, her bun tangled in the ribbon that held it up. Henry followed close behind, looking just as frantic. It was the woman who moved first to clear the distance and reach her child. She kneeled next to her daughter, eyes deep with emotion._

 _Mary snapped her gaze to Jacob, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. She whispered into his ear when she was close enough. "Thank you for looking after her." He brought his arm around her body and buried his nose in her hair. "It's nothing, Mary."_

 _The two other adults took seats on either side of Jacob, Mary holding her child close as she dozed without a care. All three spoke in hushed tones, sharing in their fear of Evie's fate. Jacob had filled them in on her condition, scarring them further. In the end, all they could do was wait and hope for the best._

 _After two more agonizing hours, the old nurse and the doctor walked out and closed the door. The blood on their aprons was scary, making Jacob start to think the worst. It was Mary who stood with Annie to address the two on the men's behalf._

" _How is she?"_

 _The doctor stepped forward and removed his gloves to be cleaned later on. "Thankfully, we were wrong about the spinal injury. Her back was strong enough to take the impact."_

 _All three let out a sigh of relief, especially Jacob. But Mary could sense that there was something more. "What else?"_

 _It was the nurse's turn to step in and throw her report into the mix. "The burns won't completely heal, there's no doubt it will scar. Miss Frye also inhaled an excessive amount of smoke. Her lungs are awfully tough, but will hinder her from strenuous activities for the next month or so. After that, they should heal themselves with time. Unfortunately, she'll never be the same."_

 _Jacob stepped forward and finally asked the one question that he cared about._

" _Can we see her?"_

 _The doctor and the nurse gave each other a look and nodded. The nurse took the aprons and gloves, leaving the doctor to lead them to their fallen comrade._

 _Stepping into the room, a metallic smell hit them right away. An open window let some sunlight and fresh air in. In the back of the white walled prison, Evie was sleeping on bed, tucked away in crisp sheets._

 _Jacob didn't wait for anyone and rushed to her side. He didn't even recognize her at first. Half her face was bandaged and missing her usual confidence. The once freckled arms with were also dressed on the gooze and coverings, dimming her strength. Her hair was undone and retied into a bun that had no thought put into its execution. Part of her neck was also wrapped up, but some of the burns peaked just slightly from the bandages._

" _Right tit you are." Jacob said, trying his best not to break in front of everyone else._

" _You can't leave me for three days without getting into trouble? But I guess that's my fault." he began to crack, his words failing to fall from his mouth as easily as he always conducted them to be. He moved to grab her hand and held it to his lips. His heart was being ripped apart. She may have scolded him, punched him, and run away, but this wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want her to leave him forever._

" _Why can't you keep your feelings from compromising the mission?" It was it, Jacob Frye buried his nose into his sister's hand and began to weep._

 _No one moved. No one stopped him._

"Jacob." a voice called to him. He raised his head from Mary's shoulder and listened to the once who called him, Henry Green. The fellow assassin was up from his chair and ready to go. Jacob also raised from his bunk and helped Mary and Annie up as well.

"Got it, Henry."

 _ **At the Doctor's Office**_

Evie was awake for the first time in two weeks. At least, that's what people told her. Her back ached with the agony of one thousand suns. Her throat felt like someone dumped sand inside it to feed her. Other than that, she just felt bored.

Sure, she had found a book left on her bedside table and her old nurse sat for a chat now and again, but it felt empty. When the book laid finish on her bedside table, she took a moment to asses her situation. She knew that she shouldn't have survived that fire, but somehow she did to carry on. Whatever the reason, she also knew she would have to face Jacob and the others when they visit her soon. Evie was informed that he, Mary, and Henry took turns staying with her as long as the doctor permitted.

For now, she just picked her book back up, opened it, and ran her fingers over a passage in Dicken's newest book. He had written a little note on the front page telling her to hurry up and get better. It filled her with a bit more hope, even when her mind was fighting a vicious battle with her body to decide what she was feeling and how to deal with her new situation. The fact that half of her face was rendered useless for the time being didn't help her happiness, or her patience.

The sudden sound of a horse protesting against the reigns of the driver caused her to lift her head and try out her eagle vision. It was a bit rough at first, but she had gotten a clear enough picture. She identified Jacob stepping out a carriage with Henry and Mary. Annie bounced around with a small collection of flowers clutched in her arms.

Dread filled Evie's stomach. How would they react to her being up? Was Jacob still mad? Was he upset? All this and more began to stockpile as they entered the building and climbed up to the second floor. Each step echoed in her head, but their words were fuzzy due to a small headache forming from the strain she was putting on herself.

Evie stopped using her vision and leaned back on the head board. There was no stopping them from coming in. Their muffled voices were chatting to the nurse outside. She heard a sudden squeal from Annie and the door was flung open. The child skipped into the room, clutching her flowers.

Annie reached the bed while the adults hung back in awe at the door. The tiny blonde blushed, but smiled at Evie. She passed the woman the flowers and spoke up with cheer.

"Thank you for saving, Ms. Evie!" Her grin was contagious, and the eldest Frye smiled back, accepting the flowers. Evie reached out a hand and ruffled her hair, receiving a painful protest from her muscles. It was worth the giggle from the child's lips.

Evie tried her best to reply with a gravelly voice. "Thank you..." she said, coughing a bit after her vocal cords tickled with the effort. Annie jumped and ran up to the nurse to tug on her clean dress. "I think she needs water!" she exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh and the nurse leading Annie away to get a pitcher of water for the patient.

The three other walked in while Evie inspected the flowers. It was strange that the choice was Irises and Magnolias, representing gratitude, faith and hope, nobility, and valor. Annie obviously had help picking the right plants.

Jacob took an awkward seat next to her, rubbing his neck with a coy smile. "H..Henry helped pick them out. " Mr. Green played with his hands and studied his shoes when mentioned that he had a hand in the gift. Evie just beamed even more directly at him and whispered "Thank you, Henry."

Henry smiled and dipped his head to her. "It was no trouble, Miss Evie."

Mary cleared her throat and motioned to the door. "Well, Henry and I are going to give Jacob and you some privacy. He requested it."

A rock formed in Evie's chest as she watched the two close the door, leaving the twins alone. The last time it was like this, the two had exchanged. It wasn't a comfortable situation for either twin. The air was thick with tension. None dared to say anything for a while, opting to have a standoff of silence. It was Jacob who decided to speak first.

"Um..." he started, taking off his top hat and placing it on her bedside table. "...thank you for saving Annie. It means a lot." Evie nodded and reclined further into her pillow. "It was a pleasure brother. Except getting stuck here, that wasn't very fun." she added with a hint of sarcasm.

Jacob's eyes kindled from uncertainty to the familiar gleam that they always had. His face softened as he chuckled at her joke. While it may be true and out of place, it at least lightened the mood a snippet of time.

But like all good moments, it didn't last long. Jacob hung his head to stare at the floor before he decided to flip the tone back to a somber grey.

"I'm sorry."

His sister placed the flowers on her table, pushing it over a tad to invite her brother closer.

"Why should you be sorry?" she asked, her voice only a mumble to keep from damaging anything.

"For provoking...making you run away...making you end up in here. None of this would've happened if I had stayed in line."

Evie's heart dropped to her toes. He had missed her, felt like it was his own fault. She never wanted her brother to worry for her safety, not in a thousand years. She straightened up and closed her eyes. "No, I'm also to blame...I didn't consider your point of view...I should've realized sooner that you felt that way..."

"Evie-...please..." Jacob started but faltered mid start. "...this time I went too far. No matter what you say I started it. It's my fault."

"Don't blame yourself for an accident, Jacob...that's how grey hairs come around." she jested, poking him in the shoulder. Her brother chuckled and rested a hand on hers. "Besides brother, I shouldn't have threw the first punch...in the end I'm still to blame."

Jacob nodded, his face sullen despite not agreeing with her. While gritting her teeth, Evie opened her arms to a large hug. Jacob immediately dipped into embrace his only family left in the world. No words were needed in that moment. All they needed was each other and their good friends beside them. Both didn't show it, but tears fell quietly from their eyes.

"Apology accepted, brother?"

"Only if you take mine as well, sister."

The two stayed that way for a while, thankful that they could be here together. It was the single greatest moment of peace that the twins had in a long time. Every second was precious and a blessing to the pair of siblings.

"I love you, Jacob." Evie said while her voice cracked with emotion showing in every word. Jacob could feel his tears slide down his face, but kept his cheery attitude out of the joy he felt. "I love you too, Evie."

The Frye siblings were back together, for good this time.

It wasn't until the door opened that the two separated. Annie bounced in with the water in her hands. She was followed by the other adults. The girl set down the pitcher and jumped onto Jacob's lap. The young man picked his top hat back up and placed it upon the little one's head for safe keeping. Mary stood behind the chair to run her fingers through Jacob's hair. Henry stood in the doorway, not knowing where he should be.

Evie smiled at him and scooted and heaved herself upright into a sitting position. She reached to the foot of the bed and patted it, letting him know that he was welcome to the empty spot if he wanted it. Henry grinned back sheepishly and took the spot. The whole group then began to spend a fine afternoon together for the first time in weeks.

The nurse left a cup on the table and left the family alone to chat to their hearts' content.


	9. Tea For Two?

**Time for part three of my little mini series!**

 **I realized that I forgot some head on Henry and Evie moments. Plus, I've been having a really tough week, let's end this on a high note. It's high time we have a chapter with just those two. Hold on to your fangirling or just let it all out!**

 **Here's "Tea For Two?" featuring our favorite flower effeicintatos!**

Evie stared up at the white ceiling that had been an eyesore for weeks now. It has been three weeks and the only time she ever spent outdoors was when the nurses let her go on the balcony to catch a view of the street and the occasional track jam. Being stuck in bed since the fire had driven her into madness. Not to mention that her "Jacob is up to something" sense was itching up a storm.

No amount of Mary stopping in to say it was only a small hiccup was going to stop the female assassin from punching her twin when she got back into the swing of her everyday life. For now, she would be at the end of her rope with her patience.

Today was different though.

It began simple enough, with her bland breakfast and a changing of her bandages. The doctor had told her that she should be ready to go back home in another week at the most. Evie was hoping it would be sooner, but was prepared to stick it out for the full time frame if it was required. She then tried to stretch by touching her toes and reaching up towards the ceiling with her palms.

Once that was over, she sat in a chair next to the window with another book. In her stay at the doctor's office, she had finished a book every other day. Her brother and Mr. Green always brought new ones when they came to visit. Even so, it got boring after awhile with just reading and staring out the window all day.

Just as she finished the final paragraph she was on and was about to shift to the next chapter, the nurse rapped on the door three times as she always did. Evie set her book aside as the woman stepped in to peer at her from the doorway. Her ever present bifocals halfway down her nose and her eyes squinted to look at her, but there was something strange about the nurse this time. She had a knowing grin on her lips and a glint of mischief in her old eyes. There was also a second presence behind her that made Evie switch to eagle vision while the nurse was talking.

"Your escort is here. Dr. Martin has released you early."

The nurse was right, there was someone behind her that was holding a bundle of clothes. The person was none other than Henry. Impatience flared up in Evie. No one could visit her yesterday due to being busy with Templer plots and starting gang wars. She heard all about it from one of the children that Clara had up her sleeve. Apparently, Jacob had thrown a rock in a wager with one of the Rooks at a borough leader's head and caused a huge fight. From the amount of police that had swarmed the area to hold citizens back, it was a large battle.

But as always, the Rooks prevaled.

Not only had someone come to visit, but she was allowed to go home.

Now, she could leech all the good details from Henry. " Let him in." Evie said, keeping her voice soft. She didn't want to repeat of her previous coughing fits. The fellow assassin poked his head in, his smile bringing a bit more light into the room. Evie couldn't help but give him grin as he walked across the room to hand her the bundle of clothes.

"Welcome back, Miss Frye."

"It's good to be back."

* * *

For the first time in weeks, Evie stepped out onto the streets of London.

There really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. People were walking and going about their daily business, storefronts enticed buyers in, the smell of baking bread made Evie's mouth water. It was all so plain and yet made her glad to be alive.

Henry stood beside her, smiling at the childish look on her face. The way her eyes seemed to glow when she had stepped through the door, the determination the lit up her features, and the dimples that formed on her cheeks. Everything about it was the picture of absolute joy. It had been a long time since he had seen her ready to take on the world with her devilish smile.

Suddenly she spun on her heel, her new clothes swishing as she did so. Her balance was still a little off from weeks of bed rest, but she never lost her usual composure and grace. "Now, what has Jacob done this time?"

Henry chuckled into his fist at the question. "I don't know what you mean, Miss Frye. He hasn't done anything I couldn't handle." he said, crossing his arms over his chest. Evie wasn't convinced, but let it slide for just one moment. The only news that she had ever received was when the group came to visit, and nothing ever horrible was ever reported. Even the gang war yesterday had been easily resolved quickly.

She also position her arms in a similar fashion to her companion. "I trust your word then." The Indian assassin nodded. "You certainly can." The two stood there in a pregnant pause, none having a single plan at the moment. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but it felt as if it needed something more to be said.

The sound of Big Ben striking nine had broke their attention to look in it's direction. Evie remembered the nights she had spent sleeping in one of it's sister towers to stay away from her family. She felt herself shivering slightly at the memory of the horrible wind chill and sometimes waking up to find a bird on her head. There was never a restful night sleep. It made her want to finally curl up in her bed once more tonight. Having that prospect in mind,

On the other hand, Henry had no pleasure in staring at a clock. He knew very well that Evie was not clear for field work just yet, so doing some odd jobs that Jacob was covering for his twin were out of the question. Rooftop running was also an impossibility. The burn wounds on her neck and shoulders may be closed up and starting to scar over, but Henry didn't want to risk anything so early on. Plus, the strain of climbing and running would take a toll on her breathing if Evie pushed herself too hard.

Bottom line, nothing physical until she was healthy again.

"Henry?" he heard Evie call, snapping her fingers in front of his face. He took a moment to clear his head and realize that she had been trying to get his attention this whole time. He stood a little straighter and gave her his full participation.

"Yes, Evie?"

Evie smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "You were thinking about something pretty hard again. Is something wrong?" Henry shook his head, waving off her suspicions. "Nothing you need trouble yourself with. Everything is just fine."

"Good-." A low grumbling sound resounded in the area of the pair. Evie flushed in embarrassment as Henry started laughing. "If anything, I should be worried about you. When was the last time you ate?"

"It's not that I haven't eaten. The food they provided was not the most exactly filling for someone like me."

An idea then formed into Henry's head and he knew exactly what the two would do for the first half of the day. He laid a hand on the flustered Frye's shoulder and lead her along. "I think I can solve your problem."

* * *

Evie sipped her tea with all the grace and poise that one could have. Henry sat across from her, doing the exact same. After going back to the train, the two decided to find a lovely tea house and just enjoy a quiet day of no work. Of course, the pair of assassins also made a choice to go under cover by switching out their clothes for a more 'fitting' look.

That entailed Evie wearing a dress, but at least she was exempted from wearing a corset, thank the heavens. Instead, she went a dress that was simple, slimmer than the norm, but still elegant in it's own special way. Henry was nothing less of a gentleman, complete with crisp suit and top hat. His personal cane sword (a gift from Jacob and Evie) was kept sheathed and added to the get up he wore.

When people passed by the pair, some found it odd that a man with dark skin and a woman without an hourglass figure would choose to be in public with such fine clothes. Nonetheless, whenever one of Mister Green's contacts or Miss Frye's acquaintances strode past, a smile and a greeting were always exchanged.

So there the two sat, chatting and enjoying the company of each other. Conversations ranged from politics to flowers, from books to the Thames, and a joke now and again. Whatever the topic, Evie found herself growing more and more attached to every word.

"I have to say, the first time I came to London I was shocked at the 'dress code'." Henry mentioned, absently mindedly tapping the brim of his hat. Evie looked up from her drink and began to question further. "What do you mean?"

Her companion straightened up and set down his cup. "It was strange to see everyone dress in such dark colors, coming from a place where everything was lighter or at least vibrant in it's own way."

"I thought you said you grew up in the slums for a majority of your childhood?"

"Yes, but there was always-" he paused, tapping his chin this time in thought. The gesture was common for both himself and Evie. His face lit up as soon as he had the answer.

"The sun was always brighter, making everything else seem less bleak. Not to mention that you could see the stars very well most nights. There was always a moon the size of...the size of-"

Evie took the opportunity to work some humour into the mix. "The size of Jacob's ego?"

"Yes! Good one Miss Frye!" Henry chuckled, his eyes twinkled with a certain childishness.

The women stared down at her lap, a coy smile on her face at the praise. She really hadn't meant to be funny, but seeing him happy made her glad to be in his presence at that moment.

That's when a question struck inside her head. Evie set down her cup and folded her hands over her lap. "You never really talk about India that much. I've been reading up on the history, but what's it like there?" she asked, curiosity making her mind turn in circles.

Henry had only a brief second of hesitation, but beamed back at her as soon as it passed. "It may take a little while to explain. There is so much to talk about."

The eldest Frye nodded, standing up from the table and composing herself to the highest degree. "Then I do believe a walk in in order. We can't sit down all day."

"Right, a walk and talk."

As soon as they paid for their tea, the pair linked arms and began a stroll through London's streets and down to one of the many parks.

"India is very humid all year round. Not many people needed to wear as much clothing as I do now..."

The two spent the rest of the afternoon till dark talking all about Henry's country, Evie hanging on to every word without forgetting a single second of their time spent together.

* * *

That night, Evie found herself imagining what it would be like to see India herself. Getting a chance to go to the Ganges river side, exploring the complex streets, and trying her best to pass off as a man to get into the temples. All of the soon to be memories made her want to jump out of her chair where she sat reading a book suggested by Henry on the topic of the country.

Tracing her hand over a complex pattern on a hand drawn sketch of a Goddess idol, she could already feel herself there. Beside her, she knew that Henry would be there to show her everything.

She closed the book for the night, and trudged over the bunk bed where Jacob was already sleeping the night away, and climbed on to her bunk. Facing the ceiling, she made a vow that she would go to India one day.

Evie would go back with Henry.

 **I also forgot to add, I love using line breaks!**


	10. You Look Beautiful

**Hey...guess who loves to see fanart of the bae with her hair down? I do of course, and she would look lovely if they let her do so in game! Also, I'm really sorry if this seems extremely short. I have a ton of other projects that I work on and it gets hectic this time of year for writing. Nonetheless, I give you all "You Look Beautiful".**

Evie sat reading her book in silence that morning. Her brother didn't question her declining not to pay a visit their good friend Alexander Graham, but instead let her be. It didn't matter, she just wanted to be left alone. Not even pleas from Alec to have the twins pay a visit could get her to move from her spot. All she asked for was silence on her day off.

She was so determined not to move, she had ditched her heavy coat and boots and hung around in one of her brother's shirts and a pair of loose trousers. All sense of femininity had been abandoned as she slung her body over the common's couch with her head thrown back. Any civilized lady would have yelled till kingdom come at the very sight of the assassin's choice of comfort.

And she loved every second of it.

A stray hair had fell from her usual braid, awkwardly landing on her shoulder. With a sigh, she decided to further her enjoyment of the day by setting down her book to undo the braid. Before committing the act of letting her hair down, she checked to make sure that not a single person was nearby. Deftly, her hands wove through the handiwork, taking out each pin that held it together. Once the pins were out, she removed the ribbons that held the braids.

Finally, she ran a hand through the braids, unraveling to reveal glossy brown hair that fell in perfect waves down her back. It may have ended at her shoulder blades, but it was nice to feel her head relieved of the tight confines. Evie loved keeping her hair up, but today was a day to slow down and rest.

After taking out her hair, she went back to reading. With no one to see her, she would be just fine. Her brother knew she prefered her hair down when she was just relaxing with no one to please. It wasn't as if anyone would venture in the private cars any time soon and Henry...well he said he had business to take care of himself. It's not as if he would come waltzing through the door and see her looking as if she was a street bum.

Evie flipped another page over, listening to the comforting sound of the train clicking on it's way on it's path to nowhere. They would be stopping off later in the night to reload some supplies for the coming week. She would have to jump back into her assassin get up later on and also redo her hair.

That was disheartening, but she didn't regret letting it all hang down for now.

The presence of a nearby person alerted her of someone approaching the car. At first she waved it thinking that it was just some Rook over in the library fetching something for Jacob. She grew more curious when the person seemed to be walking closer to cross over to the car Evie was in. That could only mean one thing.

Henry was back from his errands.

Evie tossed the book away and scrambled to put her hair up. In an attempt to stand up too quickly and Jacob sometimes leaving random blankets strewn on the couch, her feet became tangled in one of those said blankets and landed face first on the floor of the car. The impact was hard enough to knock the wind out of her and cause her hair to spill over her face. Her feet were still partially on the couch.

She twisted back around and rubbed her head, one of her legs had swung down from the sofa and rested on the ground. The door of the car opened and Evie froze. There was no escape from the ensuing embarrassment. She decided to look up and face this event head on.

As expected Henry walked in with a stack of books under his arm. His eyes were closed and a smile plastered on his face as he hummed an unfamiliar tune under his breath. It was when he closed the door and opened his eyes that his humming stopped and a straight replaced his grin.

Seconds felt like hours to Evie as she was stuck on the floor, unable to form words to explain what was going on. While the time she was caught undressing from Jacob's clothing was indeed embarrassing, she had only removed the jacket. Right now, she could be considered naked by English standards. And with her hair tossed around in a wild mess and

In the end, she decided to cut her loses and try retain the little shred of dignity she had left. She straightened up and opened her mouth to speak, mustering all the pride she had in reserve for her brother's antics.

"There is a very good explanation why this-"

Evie couldn't even finish her long and winded speech. Henry had burst into laughter that filled up the carriage, throwing a hand over his mouth in a feeble attempt to quell the joyful noise. His laugh wasn't musical or very boisterous. It was more of a deep throated personification of genuine humour and amusement. It made the corners of Evie's mouth twitch, trying to hold back her own giggles at her own ridiculous situation.

The young woman decidedly stood up while her new companion was trying his best to ease his mirth to no avail. Evie could feel heat in her cheeks and on the tips of her ears as she righted her clothes and tamed her messy locks. After a moment, Henry ran a hand through his own hair and spoke up.

"I'm sorry, but it's very rare to see you with your hair down Miss Fyre. And the look on your face was unexpected to say the least!"

Puffing out her cheeks in a pout, Evie could feel the embarrassment creeping up on her once more. For added effect, she crossed her arms over her chest. "What's unexpected about a lady wanting to let her hair down for once?"

Henry quit his snickering and it was replaced with his usual, kind look. "Nothing, Evie. You can wear your hair however you wish." He stepped further into the cabin to set his books down on a desk to help reset the fallen blankets back on the couch. "These are some more books I had found in my shop that weren't doing anything but collecting dust. Evie stepped forward to inspect the titles of the books whilst pushing back a strand that was in the way of her sight. She carefully picked up each text with care.

"Great Expectations." she mused aloud as her fellow assassin hung at her side. "Ah, one of my favorites. A tale of guilt and crime, revenge and reward for the ages." he threw in with a nostalgic look coating his eyes.

"I hope I will enjoy it."

"I have no doubts you won't."

She picked up the next books, each one a great adventure with mystical charm and wonder. It didn't matter the setting or title, Henry explained each one with detail. There was something special the way he described each and every tale with the alluring power of a fantastical story teller. Someone who didn't just read the stories, but breathed every sea breeze, conquered each kingdom, or saved hundreds of innocents single handedly. It was truly wonderful.

One book at the bottom of the short stack caught her attention. It was much fancier than the rustic, toned down cover were. Adorned with an enormous ivory peacock and fancy calligraphy was a book titled "Pride and Prejudice".

She picked it up and switched it from hand to hand. The book was different from most of the other's that were rough and torn. This one was clean with an almost refined air about it, but there was also the hint of the unknown that seemed to just seep from the yellowed pages.

"What about this one?"

Henry stopped mid organizing to peer at the cover. His face furrowed in thought, curiosity lighting up his gaze.

"Pride and Prejudice is an intriguing story, but also very..." he stopped to tap his chin in trying to find the right words to say. After a moment he shrugged and finished "It's a romance."

"Romance you say?"

"Yes, a popular romance and coming of age recount."

Evie nodded, not sure whether to say she wasn't fond of many stories that involved heavy focus on romance. It was just the way she was raised.

The sound of Big Ben ringing through the bustling city called Henry back to reality. "Looks like I lost track of time. Good day, Evie!" he hastily said as he made a quick escape from the train and back to the streets of London. Evie was left pondering the idea of giving a romance a try.

Before she could though, Henry popped his head back in and threw in one last remark. "By the way, I like what you did with your hair. You look beautiful!" With that, he was once again a ghost that she could never find without extensive care.

The word "beautiful" rang in Evie's ears. It was no secret to her that she wasn't hard to look at, but never in her twenty years had anyone told her directly that she was pretty. Not even her father had given her the compliment when most fathers would shower their daughters with such titles befitting a girl. Twas the life she chose though.

Evie glanced down at the book in her hands. Her heart hammered as her brain kept repeating the sentence over and over in her memory. It was a simple thing to tell a woman, but it was by far one of the most treasured things that had ever been told to her as a person, not an assassin.

All of a sudden, all doubts about reading romance cleared from her mind.


	11. (AN) End Of My Rope

Hey guys, GraePearl here.

Lately, I have lost some ideas of this collection I have no idea what I want to write next. So I thought, and thought, and though,...and thought.

After thinking, I came up with no good ideas. Some of those ideas include the following:

Drunk Evie: Part Three

Sibling Rivalry Study

AU of some kind

Evie and Jacob playing insurments

More AU's

As you can tell, I'm at the end of my rope. That's where you come in. You can wait until inspiration strikes, have me end this story with one last hurray, or you guide the story. Send me prompts, send me movies, send me music if you think that will help, anything!

I don't want to end this, but I just can't find reason to continue at this time. All you have to do is send me something to write about. This fanfic would never have happened if it wasn't for all of you guys. I'd hate to see it end.

Please Help

-GraePearl


	12. Their Song

**Sorry about the announcement chapter, but I was REALLY stuck. After a long process of thinking and lot's of ice cream, I finally crawled out of my hole. Enough about me, back to the gang!**

 **It's the moment you all knew was coming, but also didn't want coming (*cough* Jacob and Roth shippers I'm looking at you guys *cough*). Also, this is for the guest who voted for the twins on instruments. I give you, "Their Song".**

Evie stood waiting inside the door of a back room, watching her brother scramble to make himself presentable. His top hat was carelessly tossed on an end table and his gauntlet was missing from his forearm. He may have looked a tiny bit more refined if not for his disheveled hair that seemed to stick out in every direction under the god forsaken sun. Other than that, Evie was completely amused at the whole situation.

"I swear if I have to drag Greenie in here to get ready I will!" he snarled, adding some curse words here and there as he struggled to fix his shirt. His sister had enough of watching him suffer, finally stepping up to righten her younger brother's attire.

"Henry is busy with Annie at the moment. You wouldn't want your soon to be daughter to be left alone for one of Clara's boys to chase after, would you?"

Jacob grumbled and stood still while Evie straightened his hair, tucked in his shirt properly, and finished by flecking imperfections from his jacket. "If those boys lay a hand on her, they'll be hung from the gallows."

Evie reached for Jacob's top hat and dusted off the rim for good measure. "I thought you would do much worse, Jacob." With one flick of her wrist, she rested the hat on top of his brown hair. Stepping backwards, she admired her work.

Her twin looked the part of a proper groom, wearing a black suit and white dress shirt. His shoes were glowing from the polish Evie had given them the night before today. His signature top hat stood tall and clean, not a smudge of dirt or mud in it. If Jacob wasn't a gang leader, he could've passed for a wealth gentleman on his way to some business affairs. Oddly enough, his sister could see a lot of her father in him, whether he wished it or not. With his stone cutting jaw and muscular build, Ethan Frye would have been proud.

"You're the spitting image of a true bigwig, Jacob Frye." He smiled at his sister's praise, checking himself in the mirror before turning to Evie. "And you still look like you haven't gotten any sleep." She smirked, resisting the urge to yawn at the mention of the sweet release that was sleep. "I assure you that I am wide awake and ready to marry you off to a lovely young woman. Don't look down your nose at me just yet."

Jacob chuckled and pulled his sister into a hug. "Thank you for putting this thing together, Evie. I couldn't have done this without you." Buried in her brother's warmth, Evie grinned with a force strong enough to break stone. It was a rare occurrence that the two could share a moment of peace without having to worry about places to be and Templars to fight. Right now, family was at that mattered.

When they pulled away, Evie accidently let a yawn slip past her facade of alertness. Her brother patted her shoulder and spoke softly. "You really are exhausted. You can miss the ceremony if you want."

"Are you kidding me?" Evie scolded, placing her hands on hips. "I didn't stay up for two days straight to miss your big day. I'm going."

Her brother gave her a quick smile and rubbed her arm. "I expected nothing less from you."

* * *

"You may now kiss the bride!"

Jacob and Mary sealed their union with a beautiful kiss. Annie cheered loudly and clapped her hands. Evie didn't show it as much as the girl beside her, but she did clap along and grinned at the way Jacob swiped Mary into a dip. Henry stood next to Evie and he too gave a round of applause in honor of the newlyweds.

The rooks that were able to attend made catcalls, stomped their feet, and lit the bar up with noise that was rivaled by none. A couple of the bride's patients and her mentor were there, making just as much of a racket as the street gang. Sargent Abberline had come insisting that he wanted to monitor the festivities. He ended up sobbing at the beauty of the moment. All in all, the first part of the wonderful celebration had ended smoothly. The next part of the ceremony was about to begin.

The crowd broke off to discuss what made them cry, the vows or the "I do's". Others chose to congratulate the couple. The trio near the altar watched as the happy pair excepted all the attention with smiles and laughs. Annie held hands with both of the assassins, swinging her arms and humming above the noise.

She stopped her song and broke away suddenly to go and hug her mother and new father. The adults stopped talking to their guests in favor of doting over their daughter. Jacob was especially jovial, his face scrunched up with laughter lines etched into his rough features. There was no way anyone could replace that moment in their minds.

His twin let her arms clasp behind her back, able to sense Jacob's pride in his new family all the way across the room. This expression of delight did not go unnoticed by Henry. He perked and and slide closer to Evie's side. If he had been farther away, his question wouldn't have carried over the noise of the wedding party about to begin.

"You seem brighter than usual today."

Evie nodded and beamed even more. "How could I not? It's a wonderful wedding." Henry nodded and surveyed the scene before him. A packed pub decorated in finery and filled with the faces of comrades and friends. There was good food being prepared for the post wedding party, complete with a cake baked to perfection on the way. Not to mention the music was starting soon.

"Wonderful indeed, Miss Frye." he agreed, flashing a side grin. Evie copied the action back, letting a tiny chuckle escape her. Looking back on how far she came, all the hardships, all the pain, all the sacrifice, it was worth every step of the journey. And now, it was time to hang up her hood and just relax for one day.

The wedding party had begun in full swing. People drank, people danced, and everyone had a chance to just relax. Some of the Rooks left, but some remained to enjoy the food and good ale that was served. It was quite the sight to behold.

Evie and Henry kept a careful watch in the back of the room. Their eyes swept around for anything that may have seemed unusual. Even so, the two just talked.

"Then Jacob got thrown off the horse's back shouting about how he 'didn't deserve this treatment'. He got his cut right above his eye and scarred over."

Henry chuckled as Evie concluded her story on how her brother had gotten his infamous scar over his eyebrow. His companion joined too, amused by her own sibling's misfortune. "I always thought he received the scar from your hand in a training session."

"That's just an alibi he uses to keep his pride in tact." Both shared another bout of laughter. The music that had been a good background piece had ceased. The player might by getting ready to begin the next song.

"Evie!" Jacob called, raising his arm to her. The sister snapped to attention and faced her brother. The chatter of the guests had stopped when he yelled above the noise of the crowd. He in turn gestured past the crowd to the grand piano that sat in the pub day in and day out. Now and again, someone may take up the bench and play a tune for a couple of pounds in their hat. Right now, the previous pianist had joined the crowd, leaving the bench was vacant.

"Let's play a song together like the good old days!"

"I thought you forgot how to play years ago."

"That was a lie to stop grandmother from embarrassing me! Come one, please?"

The crowd muttered their approval and gave Evie a round of applause. She could decline, but she hadn't played in years. What if she messed up, what if she didn't know anything worth playing anymore.

There was a pushing on her shoulder, ushering her to move forward to the piano. Evie turned to see Henry and his usual smile. "Well, it is a wonderful wedding. Might as well make it more so."

With new found confidence, Evie made a quick move and hugged her fellow bookworm. "Thank you." she whispered before pulling away. The people in the room parted as she strode over to the well maintained instrument that sat silently all this time since the procession. A hush fell over the crowd, sweeping over like the plague.

She reached the piano right when the cheers had calmed down. She took her seat on the bench and flipped open the cover, a nostalgic feeling creeping up her spine. The ivory keys glistened under the afternoon light the filtered through the windows. The black, glossy coating hid the inner workings of how the sound was produced. How she longed to feel each part before she began. Just to feel the strings and metal on her fingers would sooth her nerves.

Jacob must've been planning this, because from behind the piano, he pulled a violin out with a bow. She recognized it as the one that their grandmother had gotten engraved for his seventh birthday. He played it on the street, on holidays, and sometimes in private.

Alas, her time to play was now, and the group had gone silent for her to fill that silence with expected music. It was music they were going to get. Her eyelids closed over and her breath was now not of her own accord. Her hands raised over the keys, poised with all the grace that a woman should always have. Such moments like this were a rare, but fantastic sight.

Evie came down of the keys with a few warm up cords. The sound was slow at first, letting her get a feel for the tune she had to work with. Her twin followed her lead and harmonized with her without a hitch. Both couldn't remember the last time they played, but they still could work together as if it was just yesterday evening.

The piano then morphed the simple introduction into a waltz. The string instrument followed along, making quick and precise notes in tandem with its base. People began to take to the dance floor and move to the song. Some of the pairs knew one another, but others just grabbed a random partner and went along with it. Whatever the class of age, everyone enjoyed the moment.

Mary and Annie moved closer to the piano and listened closely to the twins. Mr. Green decided to stay where he was, preferring to watch from a distance. The littlest Frye had other ideas, skipping right up to the Indian and dragging him to stand next to her. If Henry didn't know that Jacob wasn't the birth father, he would've mistaken her actions as just "Like father, like daughter" behavior. He would've thought it to just be an acquired trait from the gang leader.

Then again, who said she didn't just pick it up from him?

The waltz ended with a soft tone, leaving the crowd to bow to their dance partners in mock royalty. In respect for the musicians, the guests clapped.

When everyone had almost calmed down, Evie came down on the piano with a quick melody that made all the Rooks perk up in recognition. It was a common work song that was often played in pubs all over London. This rendition was slightly different though. Along with the added violin, there was a new driving purpose in the upbeats.

A circle was formed where people of all kinds would show off their fancy footwork. Some were in pairs, or some were doing solos, but everyone clapped along. Even Annie joined in by Clara's side and did a small dance with the older girl. Blonde and brown hair flew around while the crowd cheered the two on.

Meanwhile, the twins had a dance of their own. Back and forth, they battled for dominance over the song's melody. Sometimes Evie took the lead with fast fingers that almost blurred at her incredible speed. Other times, Jacob stole the spotlight with his technique and flavor on his humble piece of wood. No one except the two other adults could tell their tiny battle was raging just as strong as a real one.

The music shifted slightly from the popular jig to another fast paced song. This time, it was an original by the Fryes themselves. Not only did they like to play music together, they sometimes came up with their own masterpieces. The twins were far from geniuses, but they still made some quality works on their own.

Instead of the roughness that the last song had, this one had a certain twist to a popular classical piece called "Pachelbel's Canon". Instead of it being extremely slow and boring, the two spiced it up while still keeping the unique and good tone of the original. Back and forth the twins went, not one relenting defeat.

It was at the grand finale that the two broke into one final song that broke all rules of music in one cluster from "Infernal Gallop" formally called the "Can-can". All speed was disregarded, the dance had become a battle to stay upright, and neither sibling willing to admit defeat against the other. It was a bout that transcended all logic and rational thought of man. Then again, would history ever expect anything less from the Frye twins?

All things must come to an end, and this fight was no excuse. The two ran up and down their instruments, practically making all composers roll over in their graves. It was all or nothing, the grand close to an even greater performance. Evie pounded out her heart and Jacob practically snapped his arms from the strain. Sweat ran down their foreheads and heartbeats going wild.

With one grand sweep, both played a boisterous cord, making the ears of all the guest ring from the missing sound. Both Jacob and Evie were grinning like fools at their perfect show. Clapping rippled through the room and shook the very roots of the building.

Evie threw her head back and closed her eyes. Her fatigue pulled at her brain and made her body want to fall into a deep sleep, never to wake up again. Despite that, her joy was uncountable.

When she opened her eyes, Mary and Jacob were hugging, Annie was between the couple laughing like a bell, and Henry stood beaming at the scene before him. Sargent Abberline had found his place beside Alexander Bell, Florence Nightingale, and Charles Dickens in a deep conversation about the current state of London perhaps. Clara and her children were pillaging the dessert table for all the sweets at the wedding.

All of the Frye's together allies, together for this one moment. It almost didn't matter anymore what tomorrow would bring. All that mattered was right now.

"A wonderful wedding indeed..."


	13. You Know What This Is

***heavy sigh***

 **Y'all asked for it. In honor of the new DLC (why am I doing this?) here's... "Drunk Evie: Part 3"...I'm in too deep...**

"Come on, Miss Frye! You promised to be Jacob while he's away on his honeymoon!"

Evie stood in front of her most trusted Rooks, a scornful look written across her face. "No, you all remember what happened last time." She clenched her fist at the foggy memory. After a week, she had recalled every event that had taken place, from the drinking contest to the...kiss. Two head bashings later and Evie still couldn't forget that night. Since then, she has avoided all situations where alcohol was involved.

Despite that resolve, she had made a promise to Jacob's inner circle of Rooks that she would accompany them to a pub tonight. Unfortunately, she had thought the invitation was a joke formulated to make her drunk for a fourth time in her life.

"Please, we promise you don't have to have a pint!" the shortest of the group of five pleaded with clasped hands. "We're not as intimidating without one of our leaders! Please!"

Said gang leader rubbed her head with one hand, feeling a headache beginning to form in the back of her mind. On one hand, she could resist the urge and go along as the fear inducing elephant in the room. On the other hand, her odds of doing that were not in her favor. She had tried the last three times not to drink, but look what happened.

It should have been an easy decision, don't go. No questions and no strings attached, yet there was a nagging feeling in the back of Evie's mind. Her more loyal, less logical self could not deny for the life of her. The promise she had made was a promise all the same. If there was one thing that Evie held above all reasoning, it was her need to keep all the words she held in the highest respect. This wasn't for her benefit, it was the benefit of those she made the promises to.

In the end, she cut her loses and threw arms up in defeat. "You've twisted my leg. I will join you."

"Hooray for Evie Frye!" the five shouted and dove for said woman. Before she could fend them off, she was lifted into the air by the men and carried off towards their pub of choice.

"Let's go show those Blighters who runs this city!" They cheered below their leader. Evie only cringed internally and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'm going to regret this."

* * *

Five Rooks watched in horror as their small night out had turned into a fist fight between two gangs and Evie Frye. So far, both gangs were losing.

Said Frye Twin was now standing in the center of this fight, throwing chairs and her weight around. All who opposed her were swifting punched in the jaw and sent flying against the walls of the establishment. Not one person could defend themselves well enough or had the speed to deal with the drunken assassin.

The eldest of the group of Rooks turned to his comrades and brought them closer. "We need to get Mr. Green before she does anymore damage! It can't get any-!"

Before he could finish, the sound of a whistle could be heard from outside. The whole pub froze, not a soul moved as the shouting from the streets began to flutter in. Even the gang leader had held a fist back from colliding into another's face. From somewhere in the back, a loud voice yelled out loud and clear.

"It's the police! Run!"

From there, it was every man and woman from himself. People climbed over each other, forgoing their fighting in favor of not going off to jail. The Rooks were caught in the midst of the fray, being trampled over and kicked for their right to freedom.

Evie was lost in the crowd, gone from the supervision of her gang mates.

"We're dead."

* * *

Annie Frye sat atop Henry Green's shoulders, swinging her head back and forth as they walked down the sidewalk. The Indian was fuming on the inside, but kept his temper in check due to having a little girl in his presence. Not only that, but the daughter of his good friend was in his care. If he said one word out of line, both of the Frye twins and an angry mother would be chasing him back to Asia without a second thought.

Five Rooks, high ranking Rooks at that, had come to him that morning saying that they had taken Evie drinking. From the intel he had gathered from the men, bystanders, and the bartender himself, he was able to piece together what had happened last night.

Evie had gone along with the Rooks, not looking for any form of intoxication. Somewhere down the line, she had given in to some challenge to defend her gang's pride and gotten drunk. While inhibited, she got involved in a brawl, causing chaos to spread like wildfire. In the midst of a bar fight she had gotten caught up in, she vanished into the night without leaving a trace. She was officially missing and without supervision.

Heaven knows what she did this time around?

The small girl perched above the heads of many cupped her hands and called through the crowded streets.

"Aunty Evie! Aunty Evie! I have hard candy!"

Henry let a heavy sigh escape his mouth at the attempt to draw out the girl's new family. While it was a heartfelt gesture, it wasn't necessary. He had already picked up on his fellow assassin's trail at the scene of the disappearance, courtesy of Eagle Vision.

They continued on the path of the yellow lit footsteps till they divulged into an alley. The steps continued towards the end of the alley into a hay cart, much like the ones used in the "Leaps of Faith" that the assassin's took daily.

Henry immediately picked up his pace and Annie held on tighter to keep from falling off.

"I think we found her!"

When they were right next to the hay stack, Annie threw her body off of Henry's shoulders and into the hay itself. She ruffled around in the gold for a good minutes coming up with nothing.

"She isn't here." She whimpered, feeling tears starting to well in her eyes. Henry could tell she was disheartened by the disappearance of her aunt, and he could almost feel the child's sadness through the air.

They had been searching for her since the morning time. Both were tired and hungry and completely ready to pass out. Henry was considering giving up and sending out a search party in his place. It would be more efficient and the Rooks would be able to cover a larger at one time.

But a new determination filled the man though, a certain fire that had rekindled amidst the doubt. He could give up, but why should he? It was only one person and he was an assassin! All he needed to do was back track from the scene of the crime. Maybe there was something he missed, or perhaps he had just followed the wrong footprints by accident? Or maybe-

"Found you!"

Henry broke his inspirational at the sound of Annie giggling. He glanced over at the child who was peering under the cart. Kneeling down, he too looked under the cart.

Sure enough, there was Evie, curled up and sleeping peacefully.


	14. A Day On The Town

**I have been sitting on a few ideas requested to me because of the announcement chapter. I decided to start getting into some of those. Here's a short list of what I thought were some fabulous suggestions.**

 **Jacob vs. Evie: Fight Club Style (oh yes)**

 **How To (not) Ballroom Dance: With Henry**

 **More Drunk Evie (Jelly shall spread!) (that's code for Evie gets jealous)**

 **AU (still in progress)(suggestions are open)**

 **I hope yall' can enjoy this! First up, we have some more of our favorite aunt Evie in "A Day On The Town". This was suggested by Challenges2014. Prepare for fluff!**

"So we can assume that the remain music box would be in this area?" Evie asked pointing to the map that she and Henry were studying. Her finger brushed over a circled area that had been narrowed down as the final place where the last music box lay.

Her companion nodded took down the map, rolling it up to take with them. "Right, and when we find the final box,"

"We get into the vault," the woman added on, drama building in her voice.

Henry finished by flourishing his hand with all the flare of a stage actor. "And then we get the treasure that lies inside."

Both chuckled after their little performance. It had been awhile since the two had gone on a mission together that didn't involve anything extremely life threatening. So today, while Jacob and Mary were still on their honeymoon, the pair decided it was high time they got some work done before London's Greatest Enemy came back with his stable wife. Hopefully ne would be at least a little more tame than before.

At least they still prayed and hoped, along with Frederick Abberline.

"Aunty Evie! Uncle Henry!"

Before the two could continue their plans, Annie came in with tears in her eyes and a book clutched to her chest. Her hair was hastily done up in a messy bun and her clothes were stained with a black substance, along with her face.

The child rushed over and wrapped one arm around her aunt's leg. The adults gave each other a look of concern and turned their full attention of the sobbing girl. Evie bent down and put her arms around her, embracing her niece with as much care as possible.

"What happened, Annie?"

Annie sniffed and tried to calm herself down while the young woman lifted her up to hold her. "I-I was trying to draw a picture and the ink spilled!" The girl brought forward her book and opened the cover. The pages were beyond saving, coated in sticky writing ink. It was clear that nothing could've been saved from the spill.

More importantly, the book was one of Henry's own personal selections.

"I-I'm sorry, Uncle Henry..." she mumbled while burying her face into Evie's shoulder. "I didn't mean to hurt the book..."

The man sighed and took the book from his partner. He paged through to inspect the damages while Evie looked on. His eyes never once grew wide in surprise or narrowed in disgust, but were rather calm and almost amused.

Once his investigation was over, he walked over and patted Annie on the head. "There, there. This book is replaceable. I'll pick up a new copy some other day."

"Let me come with you!" Annie exclaimed, snapping her head up and wiping away her tears. "I want to go now!"

Henry was taken aback at the girl's determination to pay back her debts. Evie just stared at her new family with awe and wonder. It baffled the two how she would demand to go with him to fix her mistake, but then again, she did have a little of Jacob influence on her. He always repaid his debts, despite popular belief.

Evie set down Annie and turned to Henry. "What do you think? Should we let this current business slide for now and listen to Miss Annie?"

* * *

"Come on, horsey!" Annie cheered as she sat sandwiched between her two escorts to the local book shop. She decided to watch carefully and try to mimic the way Henry drove the coach. In the end, it ended up being the girl shouting for Mr. Green to make the horses go faster and two tuckered out beasts.

"If I go much faster, the horses will become tired."

Annie huffed and sat back in against the seat. She tried her best not to show a smile and was failing in the best way possible. Evie sat looking straight ahead, a bit disheartened that her mission to find the last music box was put on hold. On the other hand, spending time with her niece more than made up for it. The look on the child's face when they decided to take a carriage was unparalleled by a great extent.

"We're here." Henry proclaimed, pulling back on the reins in order slow the horses to a trot, and finally to a halt. Evie jumped off the side first and held Annie's hand so she could come down without getting hurt. She didn't want to get an earful from Jacob if he found a single scrape on her knees.

"Whoosh!" Annie bubbled as she made a tiny leap off the seat and to the street. She landed with Evie hold both her hands, steadying her off balanced legs from giving out on her and ending with her on her back. Once her composure was in order, the girl stood up straight and giggled at her side adventure for the day. "I'm just like father!"

"Just like Jacob, indeed." Henry said as he came around the side. He motioned for Annie to accompany him to the sidewalk. She grabbed Evie's hand and dragged her along. The girl also held on the Henry's hand proceeded to skip while she connected the trio together.

If the Miss Frye was being completely honest, she was a tad embarrassed at the situation. She didn't describe herself as being "that aunt" that would go around holding her niece's hand and walk down the street in broad daylight. It was a mean thought in her head, but true. She was terrible with young children.

Henry on the other hand was doing just fine. He was making casual conversation, making jokes, and even laughing right along with the child. There was no doubt in Evie's mind that he would make an excellent father one day. Maybe, if she decided to have children of her own, she would get advice from him-.

"Shut up, Evie!" the female assassin exclaimed, driving the thoughts of motherhood away. Annie looked over with a quizzical look on her face. She turned to Henry and said "Is aunt Evie crazy?"

He laughed and patted Annie on the head with an amused grin. "Yes, sometimes."

* * *

"And the two shared a sweet kiss, their son looking on with deepest pride." Henry proclaimed, waving his hand. Annie looked at the movement with drowsy wonder filling her half lidded eyes.

Evie could tell the youth was falling into sleep, but they had almost finished their newly bought book to replace the one she had accidently ruined. Of course, do to the content of the book, they tried to withhold it from the youngest Frye, but she was too curious. The grownups just skipped over some of the more complicated scenes and read the most adventurous parts. The girl ate every moment up with glee.

Unfortunately, the adventure of Odysseus was coming to a close. Evie and Henry reenacted the final scene where the lone Greek comes home to his family. If the woman had said she wasn't the least bit emotional at that moment, she would be lying.

To finish the journey, Evie closed to book she and her partner had split between them and ended with a calm voice. "And they lived happily ever after. The end..."

Annie yawned and brought her hands up to clap for her narrators. The park they were sitting in for the whole day, reenacting the long book together was now being illuminated with the sinking of the golden sun. The girl was now really starting to nod off.

"Did they...really live happily...ever after?" she asked with a sluggish tone. Her aunt stoked her soft hair and nodded. "Yes, everyone did."

"Okay..." Before she could say anymore, she closed her eyes and began to sleep deeply, her breathing almost inaudible compared to the sound of people passing the group by. Henry stood up holding the black covered book under his arm. Evie wrapped up Annie and carried her princess style. Together with Henry, they walked down the path carrying a sleeping child and heavy text.

Along the way, Henry noticed how tired Evie was holding on to her niece. She wouldn't make it back to the train that was more than likely on the move tonight. There was no way she could scale a building and leap onto a fast moving object while half awake. No amount of talking politics and flowers was going to keep her up all the way to end.

And as he let out a yawn in between sentences, he knew he didn't have the energy to accompany her. In the end, Henry decided to propose an alternative.

"Evie?"

At the mention of her name, Evie looked over. Just looking into her drooping blue eyes, he knew that he was making the right choice.

"I don't think we'll make it to the train without falling asleep on the streets." he informed, another yawn tugging at the back of his mind. Evie regarded him for a moment. It was obvious her stubbornness was trying to find a way to disagree with what her mind knew was the truth. After a few minutes, she finally nodded. "I know, but where will we go?"

Mr. Green smiled and motioned down the street. "I believe my shop is just around the corner." A familiar glint shimmered in his dark eyes. "Shall we?"

* * *

Evie pulled a heavy comforter over a sleeping Annie. The child snuggled into the sheets with a grin spread wide across her face. The peaceful look was almost too much for the woman to handle and overtook her with unending admiration.

Once she knew that the child was safely put to sleep, the eldest Frye stood up and sat down in the plush armchair next to the bed much too large for its current inhabitant. At least it had room for Annie to wiggle in her dreams and stretch out. The female assassin stared at the child a moment longer before nodding off into her own restful sleep.

All that was could be heard was the sound of pleasant breathing.

The door to the room was opened softly so as not to wake anyone up. A ghostly figure crept in with extra blankets tucked on their arm, neatly folded and treated with utmost care. When the person came to stop in front of the sleeping Evie, they took the blankets and cover her up so she was nice and warm. They adjusted her body so she was in a more comfortable position and took a step towards the exit.

Just before the figure could leave, they paused and walked back to the woman. Without disturbing her, they leant down and placed a delicate kiss on Evie's forehead. In the lowest of murmurs, the figure spoke.

"Goodnight Miss Fyre..."


	15. How To (not) Ballroom Dance

**Next up is "How (not) To Ballroom Dance" with our lovely cinnamon roll, Henry Green!**

 **PS. I was listening to "Boston" by Augustana while writing a certain part of this on loop. Just listen to it and you'll understand!**

"Let's try this again, ready?"

Jacob sighed heavily and nodded. Henry was just as uncomfortable as the two men held hands and began to start up a two step waltz. Both were about as peachy with this as one might expect, but that for the anticipated reasons.

For one, Jacob was fine with ballroom dance, no matter what gender he happened to be in the company of. It was just that the men thought of each other more as comrades instead of dancing partners. Second was the fact that jacob was not adept in the ways of this particular style, therefore making the situation more awkward.

The icing of the cake was that Evie was watching with his wife sitting next to her, giggling every time that her husband stepped on his friend's feet. His twin on the other hand was indifferent in an almost too calm of a way. She just sat there braiding Annie's hair in a complicated fashion. The girl was thoroughly enjoying her father's embarrassment.

Thus, the waltz began again. One step to the side, one step forward. One step to the side, one step backward. Side step, front step, side step, backstep, and on and on it went.

"Very good-."

Just as Henry was about to compliment Jacob, he stepped on the Indian's foot...again.

"Hm...wrong foo-"

"I know!" Jacob exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "I used the wrong foot! Why should I even give da-"

"Jacob! Watch your words around Annie!"

Jacob turned to a frustrated Mary. Walked over and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. "Sorry Mary-give a horse anymore?"

Henry sighed and dove into his long and winded rant. Evie tried her best to keep a straight face as her brother was scolded.

"You have to learn or else you will look like a fool! Do you want to embarrass Mary at the reception for her collauge?"

"If I don't have to be humiliated in front of my daughter anymore, yes!"

"That shouldn't even matter!"

"Flower boy!"

"Horse Tamer!"

"Book Keeper!"

"That's not even an insult!"

"It is now!"

Both of the men went at each other, calling out their flaws and questioning their intelligence in ways that had yet to be recorded on paper. Evie sat there the whole time, unable to suppress a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Mary sat in awe at the way her father had found numerous ways to insult Henry without swearing a single time.

After a few minutes, the eldest Frye saw fit to let Annie off her lap walk between the two bickering men. With one flick of the wrist, she silenced the fight by lightly slapped Henry on the cheek and punching Jacob over the head.

Her brother clutched his noggin and gave let out a surprised shout. When he recovered from the initial shock, he turned on his twin and bellowed out "Why would you do that, Evie? Why!"

His sibling turned to him with her hands on her hips. "It was funny the first few times, but now I'm sick of your complaining."

Jacob gave a tiny pout and crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn't complaining, I was proving a point that this is stupid."

Evie mimicked her brother's stance and spoke with a smug, sarcastic tone. "You're only complaining because you are the worst dancer on the face of the world." Jacob shrugged and gave a confused look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means." she replied in a matter of factly. Jacob just groaned and took a seat by his daughter. The child immediately climbed on his lap and pointed to the unfinished braid. Without hesitation, the gang leader picked up where his sister left off.

Henry on the other hand wasn't pleased. "How are you going to learn if you keep giving up?"

Evie moved in and added her opinion. "How about you and I demonstrate and Jacob can learn from observation?" Her companion gave her a side glance. "He learns better that way believe it or not."

The man sighed, shrugged and agreed. "If will help, that's just fine." Evie nodded and turned her attention to Jacob. "Watch closely and pay attention, or else I'll be joining Mary at the reception."

Jacob stuck out his tongue, his daughter watching him and giggling into her hands. "You look silly!" she mustered up in between her laughs. Mary chuckled along and turned back to the demonstrators. "You're the teachers, show us how it's done."

Henry and Evie smiled and faced each other. The older twin was the first to speak up and give instruction. "First, you must acknowledge your partner." The Indian bowed while the lady made a mock curtsey.

The next moment, Henry brought his hand to her in an offering fashion. "Now, the dance begins."

Without a moment's hesitation, the two began their steps. It was one move forward the another to the side. Then they took a step back and slide their inside foot to the starting point of their dance. This repeated over and over for a minute, the two not once having to look down at their feet to check their success. They kept a steady pace, but moved with shared purpose and grace that only the closest of partners could have.

Once Henry grew tired of the constant box, he broke the pattern slightly, giving Evie time to understand the sudden change. In one fluid step, the two were moving in a circle. The simple two step turned into a waltz.

In all the time that the two had been moving in tandem, their eyes never broke contact. It wasn't just a connection with their hands and actions, but with trust and almost their very hearts.

The two were so engrossed with the dance, almost everything began to blur. All they could see was each other. The only noise was the sound of their feet as they brushed over the surface of the carpet. Their synchronized breathing was whitenoise, keeping beat of their steps and turns.

Jacob leaned over to whisper to Mary. "Do you think they forgot about us?"

His wife giggled and reached over to hold hands with her husband. "Yes, but let's let them."

And so the two continued their dance in peace. Jacob and Mary watched on in joy as they had become just the background of the moment. Even Annie had quieted herself to the point where she was a fly on the wall. It was only Henry and Evie.

For a few minutes, the pair didn't seem to care about when they would stop their movement and have Jacob give it a try. In a way, neither party wanted to let go first. So they just kept up on their footwork and ignored all else in favor of making circles around the train car. It was tranquil.

That is until Jacob decided to cause a stir in the mix. He grabbed one of Annie's marbles that was sitting on top of a nearby table and got a bright idea to speed along the dance.

The man let his daughter off his lap, but motioned for her to stay silent by bringing a finger to his lips. She copied the action with a smile and leapt on her mother's lap instead. With marbles in hand, Jacob Frye tried his best to contain his laughter and rolled the tiny things under the waltzing partner's feet.

The first to fall was Henry. He stepped on a small group of the marbles and fell forward with a small noise of surprise. Evie was unlucky enough to get dragged under the man's weight and ended up crushed between his body and the floor.

Jacob let out a hoot and a holler. He clutched his stomach and caused his own daughter to join in the boisterous noise. Mary simply looked on in horror. She was busy attending to her squirming girl that she didn't notice the crime being committed until it was too late. At great speed, the nurse whipped her head to send a killing glare at her prankster of a husband.

He just shrugged between snickers. "Come on! It was perfect!"

Before he could continue his howling fit, the youngest twin heard a crack and a snarling voice standing above him. "Jacob." the voice hissed. Jacob looked up and saw his sister standing over him ready to kill. His chuckles turned to nervous sounds of fear that had no descriptions or limits to show how deep of a hole he had dug for himself.

"Oh shit."


	16. Kenway who?

**Just read this review from d3mystic, just read it!**

 _" **As for the suggestions, I guess you should do the club fight and dance one first and then the drunk Evie one.**_

 _ **For future suggestion, well its not actually a suggestion and is just a thought I had while I was playing the game. The game mentions that Jacob had no knowledge of the Assassin's history and previous Master Assassins like Ezio. So I thought, 'Man it would be funny if he had to take a history test where his Assassin-ship would be void if he failed.' And now I can totally see Evie making up that test and having him learn and appear for it. And we know Jacob, books and his charming personality don't really mix. Not sure if this would work but yeah, another 'sort-of' suggestion..."**_

 **I know yall' want to see some Frye v Frye, but I need some stress relief from upcoming midterms. Mister/Miss d3mystic, your request has been heard loud and clear! *insert discount Yato coin flip and smirk* Just for all the Noragami fans out there!**

 **I give you "Kenway who?" or Jacob knows shit about history.**

It was a fine spring afternoon in Whitechapel. Everyone had gone about their usual morning business and were now coming into the second half of the day. shopkeepers Had begun to grow more and more desperate for patrons. women walked with children or in their own groups. Men were scarce do to most being off at the factories or their own businesses.

Evie was sitting alone that day sitting in her favorite chair. She was reading the book she had just received from her brother that he insisted that she should give a try. A curious gift considering that he himself did not read very much, but the thought was still very appreciated. It didn't matter, a book was a book all the same. All she really cared about is that she finished the book soon because she had so many others waiting to be read.

The past few hours have been peaceful for her, without distraction or destruction, but that was about to change. For today was a special day that certain someone would come to visit. indeed it sounded Pleasant, just not for Miss Frye. for today was the day that a certain comrade of theirs would have found out their deepest and darkest secret since coming to London.

The fact that they're coming to London was not by the consent of the Brotherhood.

By now she had read a good couple of hours, at least three, putting a good dent in her story until the door to her train car opened. Evie peered over the top of the worn, yellow pages with her constantly sharp wits about her. In stepped Henry Green in his usual attire and a smile.

"Good afternoon Miss Frye. Jacob told me he brought you a book. Is he lying again?" Evie's Car dropped as soon as that she saw him. she shook her head and placed the book to the side. "No, he's not lying." Without any effort she stood up to go greet him with a nice handshake. "It's good to see you again Mr. Green. I noticed you didn't board the train this morning. Is something wrong?" she asked, concern lacing her words

Henry just shook his head and accepted her greeting. "there is no need to worry there's just some business I had to attend to." after the two shook hands, the man got down to business. "There was one thing through, we have a visitor"

The eldest frye placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head. "Is it Ned again?"

"No."

"Then perhaps Clara?"

"Wrong again I'm afraid."

Evie took a moment to think. Alexander was usually too content with his inventions and the newspaper to come and Charles Darwin did not know about their train, at least as far as she knew. Sergeant Abberline was always busy as well or preferred not to get involved with any such business they had gotten stuck into. He only approached when it was absolutely necessary. Even then he would have sent a message to the twins first.

Finally she guessed "What about-?"

"-an old friend from Crawley?" voice cut in. The woman froze in a moment of terror. it had been a while since she heard that voice and the last she heard it it was when she had left the aforementioned place. It was then that she realized that the door to the car was still partially open.

The lady cast a eyes to the ground and let out a dejected sigh. "...or it's George."

Henry shrugged and let of person slip past him to enter the car. sure enough it was George from Crawley. he still had that frustrated look of an old man but in the clothes and body of a 30 year old.

"Good to see you Evie." he replied in response to her disappointed and fearful tone. His gaze swept around the train car almost awed at how well-kept it was. " I like what you've done with the place, but where's Jacob?"

"He's... out with his wife and daughter.." she answered with almost a whisper. It was bad enough she had been caught red-handed in the exact place he told her and Jacob not to go, but now she had to explain the current situation herself and her twin as well. Not exactly her best moment as an assassin.

George brought his right hand to his face and let out a small grumble. "I turn my back for one year and you two go and start a gang, overthrow half of London, and now Jacob has a family of his own?" he exclaimed, slightly annoyed.

Evie flinched under his harsh words. Her head was running wild with the possible punishment the siblings would have to go through. "What else did you hear? Please not the part where he ruined the British economy, almost a second time as well..." she thought while bowing her head in shame.

It was a good while until George stopped rubbing his face from the stress and turned to speak directly to his apprentice. "What am I going to do with the both of you? Your father is probably rolling in his grave at the trouble you two have caused!"

The other male assassin decided to add a little more light on the situation. "You must remember George that the twins liberated a good chunk of London from the Templars. That in itself is admirable and an astonishing feat. Don't you agree?"

"I know that Henry," he threw in. "but that doesn't excuse the fact that they disregarded orders from a higher-ranking assassin."

"George," Evie piped in while mustering the last of her determination. " I understand that you're mad, but we couldn't do nothing while so many were suffering." She took a moment to look out the window of the car. " I can't say what we did was right in the beginning, but I know now that we made the right choice."

In the quiet of the moment, a prick of nostalgia bubbled in the woman's stomach. "We have met many people here. An inventor with high hopes, a policeman who looked oddly like a woman at first, a very business savvy child, and who can forget Mr. Charles Dickinson's?"

Evie smiled fondly as she remembered all her companions that she had made.

"We have made enemies and mistakes as well. Jacob made enough for the both of us." George scoffed at the last bit. With confidence now bringing in her system, Evie turned face her mentor.

"But we pulled through, with top hats and cane swords on our heads and in our hands."

The old stuff three in the room took a moment to think. his foot tapped on the carpet but not an impatience. the other two set watching waiting for the judgment to be passed on the Frye siblings. it was a moment later before George raised his head and gave his final verdict.

"You've really grown up since you were a kid Evie. I can't say the same for Jacob, but I know he must be somewhat a fine man now having a family and all." with a nod of the head, the master assassin made his move to leave. "Take good care of him. I'll be back in two weeks for an update." Before he completely left, the remaining two could hear him whispering under his breath "God rest the woman who married him. Bless her soul and her child too."

When he was through the door and his presence had fled from the area, both Henry and Evie let out a sigh of relief.

"I thought Jacob and I were on the next train back to Crawley for sure." The older twin collapsed on the nearby couch.

Henry nodded and took a seat right next to her. "God forbid, I would've gotten some peace and quiet." And there they sat for a moment of amusement, sharing a chuckle or two before diving into casual conversation.

"Jacob is going to love it when he finds out about this." Evie professed.

"I just think he'll be glad that he doesn't have to disband his Rooks." Her friend pointed out.

An idea flew into the woman's head that decided to vocalize. "What if he did?"

* * *

"He said what?" Jacob yelled in a panic. Evie nodded her head gravely while Henry stood next to her, his actions in sync with her own. The perplexed man looked at the two in utter horror and complete shock. It was just the three of them, so thankfully no one would know about the "dire" situation.

"I'm sorry, , it is true." Evie tried her best to not smile as Henry explained the situation once more. "George knows what you two did and the Brotherhood is extremely spiteful. The only way you two can remain in London is if you are given a test of your assassin ship. Only if you pass can you and Evie stay."

Jacob flung his top hat onto a nearby desk. Without any delay, he grabbed a quill and paper, rushing to meet his fellow assassin with frantic eyes paying close attention to everything.

"What kind of test? Who is going to judge? Will there be a judge? If I fail, can I still visit my family?"

A gleam caught in Evie's glance, humour and mischief on her face despite the flat line of her mouth. "It will test on the history of the Brotherhood. George will come back and give it himself."

Jacob jotted down her words, his brows furrowed deep enough to make a canyon. When finished with his notes, he looked. "When?"

"Two weeks. You can borrow my books and take them to your flat in Whitechapel."

Without a single beat, Jacob rushed out of the train car. His presence whisked into the research car and piled stacks upon stacks of texts into his arms. It was only when he had at least a enough to create a fort that he jumped off the train to go and study for his supposed impending doom.

Once his form had disappeared from range did Evie begin to joyfully laugh and laugh.

* * *

Jacob scribbled madly down at sheets of paper. Information of all kinds were scrawled down on the numerous pages he had created. Henry looked on with a book secured in one hand and a smirk on his mind.

"Do need anything of the assassin of history?"

Mr. Frye shot his head up, madness slowly crawling onto his resting face. His eyes were sinking from fatigue due to late night studying for a straight week.

"That's on the test?"

* * *

"Name four great assassins."

Jacob threw up four fingers and pointed to each as he rattled off the names to Evie.

"Ezio, Altair, Kenway, and...and..."

"Think France."

"Umm...pass?"

* * *

"And so that is how the-" Jacob paused to yawn into his hand. "And that is how assassin's gained the ability to use eagle vision."

Henry and Evie nodded in approval. All in all, Jacob could at least pick out the important details in the history of the Brotherhood and even recall the names and accomplishments of the master assassin's that gained quite a large role in history.

Although her was rusty with putting certain events in order.

"Very good Jacob, but who in the world is Desmond?"

* * *

"And so, the next borough will be bring us one more step to defeating Starick."

George nodded and took a quick sip of his complimentary tea. "Very good, Evie. I'm even more impressed hearing your recent progress."

"Thank you." The mentor and apprentice both took a longer drink this time, leaving a small gap of silence. It was comfortable, albeit a rainy day, but still a moment of relaxation was well deserved for the assassin's of London town.

After the eldest of the two finished his extended indulgence, he glanced up and set down his cup back on the table. "By the way, how is Jacob doing these days."

"Well-"

Without missing a beat, said brother burst into the dining car. Bags clung under his eyes from the deprivation of any and all rest. His stubble had grown out and just about engulfed his. No doubt he had neglected to make sure his physical appearance was at least somewhat presentable. No matter what, it still made Evie crack up on the inside.

"Evie, I'm ready for the test! Just like you said!"

George sat unamused and completely in the dark about the eldest Frye's ultimate joke, and it was about time for the grand reveal. Without making a sound, she left the train car with her hood flipped up and jumped into the maze of the city.

"What test?"


	17. Frye vs Frye (oh yes!)

**Sorry that it's been a long time since I last updated? Finals week is coming soon and things have been crazy.**

 **First off, a message to d3mystic:**

 **No, the bottle is not full yet. But one day, I WILL HAVE ENOUGH YEN TO BUILD A SHRINE THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME. Adoring fans, fancy cars, and the whole nine yards shall be mine! GOD OF FORTUNE HERE I COME!**

 ***My "Yukine", FireDragonPhia is rolling her eyes in the background while I type this***

 **For those that have no idea what I'm talking about, go watch Noragami. You're welcome.**

 **Does everyone remember that Evie canonically has a journal that she writes in all the time? What happens when Jacob decides to reveal her deepest, darkest secrets in revenge for last time?**

 **Ladies and gentlemen, I give you "Frye vs. Frye" or give back my journal or else bitch!**

 _Furthermore, the operation today was a huge success. Henry and I detained a rogue group Templars that had been harassing a group of dolls for a week now. We found their ties to our enemy after turning them into the police for indecent behavior and destruction of property._

Evie paused to tap her pen on the desk, a crease forming in her brow from deep thought. The words she wanted to convey didn't seem to flow as easily as they once had. At least her penmanship had improved from when she first began her journal writing when she was thirteen years old. The time seemed to fly when you grow older.

Soon she was repeatedly tapping her writing utensil against the wood in an attempt to draw out some remaining, repressed emotions. It was the whole reason she took up documenting each and every hidden concern, idea, and opinion that cropped up.

If there was ever something bothering her, stuck on a loop, or just needed to be said it was in this book. That also meant that it was her most prized and secretive possession that she owned (minus her kukuri, but that is for another day). If anyone got their hands on it, she would more than likely gut the poor soul and throw them in the Thames.

Unless it was an accident. They would just get a memory damaging smack to the head.

And here she was once more, trying her best to at least get one last thought down before going out on her patrol of Whitechapel. She might even pay Jacob a visit. Knowing him, the fool was probably up with Annie, Mary sound a asleep while they did what fathers and daughters do late at night with no sign of retreating to their beds. Evie just hoped that thing wasn't teaching the girl pub card games or vulgar sea shanties.

There was one thing that had been stuck in the back of her mind recently that would make an interesting topic to jot down involving her thick headed brother. Once more, the tip of the pen touched the paper of the worn book and the thoughts flowed from her head onto the page. The sound of the train clicking over rails to the occasional shake of nearby object had become white noise in the background.

 _Jacob is still livid over the Geroge incident. Sometimes, Mary reports that he grumbles in his sleep about getting back at me. Let him try! There is nothing he could possibly do to make my life more of a living hell. His very existence is enough to keep me on my toes at all times of the day. He wants a way to get back at me, he can go reruin the British Economy for all I care. We've shared a womb, childhood, and enough clothes to drive anyone sane person to the asylum._

 _Even so, that is the least of my worries._

Evie bit her lip and swung her head from side to side. She would rather write the next few lines in peace and no preying eyes that didn't know when to back off. Once the coast was clear, her pen moved once more with practiced strokes.

 _I've been thinking recently about certain "feelings". I can't explain them, label them clearly, let alone find a suitable definition that fits quite right. I haven't even told Jacob a word, but there's this voice in the back of my mind that tells me he already knows. And worst of all those "feelings" are directed at someone in particular._

The woman let her lips curl into a grin as she thought fondly on her next words.

 _He's kind to so many. There is no boundary to his chivalry and if I could describe him in one word, it would be gentleman. Everything about him is that and so much more. Sometimes, I find myself wondering about him, "Is he safe? Does he think the same of me?"_

 _Oh how I wish to know what it is I'm feeling..._

 _How I wish He-._

"Good evenin' Henry!" It was that one second that she let her hearing stray when she caught those horrifying words being spoken not too far away. She dropped her pen and felt her heart sink into her toes.

"Shit!"

Evie wasn't going to be taking any chances. With the speed of a viper, she stashed her notebook into one of the desks many drawers under a stack of papers. Her pen was tucked away as well just to make sure that no one would be suspicious of it being used. Miss Frye grabbed her coat that was hanging off the back of her chair and put it on, buckling up her favorite belt that was recently polished to perfection.

"Time to make my rounds." she mumbled while walking towards one train windows. She quickly opened it, letting a gust of air that rustled the curtains. Evie climbed out and shut the window from the outside while trying to be as sneaky as humanly possible.

Not even checking with her eagle vision before she made her escape, Evie lept off the side of the train. Never before had she been so thankful for having a smaller build than most assassins. The woman's room was left in a state of order despite the hasty retreat. Even the chair she had been sitting in was subconsciously pushed in before the window dive to the streets of London.

The car was silent for a few moments, leaving only stillness that transcended all other things. The next moment, Jacob flung open the carriage door while chuckling up a storm. Annie skipped in behind him with a proud smile on her face. The girl was wearing a boy outfit, complete with a dark hat that kept her hair from tumbling down her back in waves with trousers and a dark blue shirt that blended into the night. Jacob wore his darkest assassin get up, top hat, and cocky smirk.

"Looks like Evie keen on hiding that damn notebook. The place is spotless." Jacob thought aloud while rubbing his chin at the cleanness of the car. Soon after saying that, he felt a sharp pain on his arm and he flinched with a yelp.

Annie gave his a sour look and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You promised mommy you wouldn't swear!"

The grown man sighed and rubbed the spot where he was pinched roughly by his daughter's oddly strong fingers. "She doesn't have to know!" he complained then patted the girl's head. She tried to duck away, but failed and ended up laughing instead. She looked up with big brown eyes and smiled. "I promise I won't snitch!"

Jacob smiled back and removed his hand from her head. He walked over to the desk and opened up the drawer where his twin had hid her sacred journal under a pile of papers. When he yanked it free from the many pages of miscellaneous, Jacob began to laugh and toss the book up and down by the spine. "Now let's begin my revenge, little Annie."

The child giggled and jumped up and down with joy at the declaration. "Mommy is gonna be so proud!"

* * *

A crowd of Rooks had gathered at the empty train yard that was used as the designated mass meeting place for the gang. The number of gang members wasn't as large as it could've been, but there was at least a large enough turn out to call some attention.

At the forefront sat a large wooden crate that was acting as a stage for the event that was about to take place on the lukewarm London afternoon. Jacob leaned against the crate with Annie seated on the wood, swinging her legs and holding the worn out journal that the father/daughter duo had stolen the night before. As far as they knew, Evie was out and about running her usual information gathering routes with the children that worked with the Rooks. She wouldn't notice a single thing until it was too late.

One Rook pushed his way through the group and stood in front of Jacob with a grin on his grimy face. "Mista' Frye! All of us Whi'chapel men ar' ere'!" he reported. The assassin nodded with deep approval and clapped other fellow on the shoulder.

"Good work John." John nodded and rejoined his comrades in green. Jacob turned to Annie, still clad in their clothes from the previous night. He climbed on the crate with her and offered a hand up top. "Time to take back my dignity and give you a good story to tell your friends!"

The man and girl stood tall on the box. The Rooks noticed the pair and their talking had dulled to whispers then to nothing. All eyes were of Jacob as he retrieved the journal from Annie's hands and held it for all to see.

"What you are looking at men," he began with confidence in every word. "Is my sister, Evie Frye's journal."

The crowd hummed to life with activity. They leaned towards their mates in hushed voices laced with curiosity, but also skepticism. Jacob choose to ignore the latter and continue with what he had been planning for a good part of the week.

"I know many of you came under the assumption that I had a job for all of you." He opened the journal and pointed to the cover page. "And a job it is, with a fine payment on the side. It is revenge against a cruel trick my twin had decided to play on me, costing me my time and personal enjoyment of what little time I have left alive." The whispers stopped and each ear was now tuned in at the prospect of money. Jacob knew he had the men hooked.

"I am going to read from this journal. Everything you hear will be your mission to spread through the streets of London?"

"You're paying us to gossip like old ladies at tea?" a voice yelled from the back of the crowd. The voice was followed up with boisterous laughter. Jacob grinned and nodded. "Correct, are you in or not?"

The men yelled and raised their fists in the air. Annie clasped her hands behind her back and started shaking from trying to contain her own laughter. Her father was smirking like a madman as he flipped to a random page. He took a moment to read through its content to make sure that it was embarrassing enough to be said aloud. Once he confirmed it was, he brought the men to attention and cleared his throat.

"Listen closely and take it all in." Jacob took a moment to breath before starting to read. " _Today was-_ "

"HOLD IT!"

Every single man stood still. Jacob froze mid introduction at the sound of the commanding words that could only belong to one individual alone. Annie cowered behind Jacob and clutched his right leg at the sound of the voice demanding all attention and respect within its harrowing presence.

The crowd parted to reveal an enraged Evie and grinning Clara O'Dea cutting through the men and towards the stunned Jacob. His twin held no amusement as she stood menacing in front of the crate. Despite Jacob having a height advantage up above, under her glare, he still felt as if he was four again and still the scrawny younger brother at Evie's mercy. Even so, he kept up his confident charade.

Evie pointed to the ground and tapped her foot vigorously. "Down, before I turn you into my twin sister."

Jacob gulped and lept down from the crate. Clara rushed forward and assisted Annie from the perch. The older girl gave a curt nod to Evie and led the younger one away from the area. The woman acknowledged the nod then turned her attention back to her brother.

"How dare you take my privacy and make a joke of it!" she growled, stepping forward and snatching up her notebook. Jacob rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He tried his best to stand a little taller to at least try to seem somewhat intimidating. Her face remained angry despite his attempt.

"Consider it revenge for the humiliation I suffered! You made me believe that I was going to have to leave London and my family behind!" he exclaimed. Evie tucked her journal away and shot back "At least no one got hurt in the process! Do you realize how personal my journal is to me?"

Jacob threw his hands in the air. "Yes, but what about me? What about my pride?"

"You and your pride need a little shame to build some character!" Evie spat back, turning on her heel to walk away. She needed to cool off before she could do anything she would regret tomorrow.

"At least I married the person I loved instead of letting my stupid pride get in the way!" Jacob called as Evie was leaving. The woman stopped mid-step and turned around slowly. Something ignited in her eyes that wasn't there before. Her twin could see it, as well as the Rooks. The crowd backed away to give the two more space just in case things escalated further.

And escalated they did.

Evie unbuckled her belt and shed her coat. She tossed it aside leaving her in a vest and white under shirt. Jacob noticed what she was doing and followed suit. He took off his top hat, coat, vest, and shirt completely until he was bare chested with only his trousers and boots remaining.

"So this is how we'll settle things, dear sister, a fist fight." Evie didn't respond and removed her vest as well, leaving her shirt untouched. Her eyes spoke for her, almost saying " _It's time to end this bickering once and for all"._

Two Rooks came forward to each Frye and took their clothing to the sidelines. Between the members of the group, bets were brewing and men were taking sides.

It was Evie versus Jacob.

* * *

From across the train yard, Clara and Annie had seen a circle begin to form around Jacob and Evie. Some Rooks broke off, no doubt to spread the news that a fight of epic proportions was well under way. Clara had seen it too many times and quickened her pace.

"We must find Mister Green before someone gets hurt!"

* * *

A lone Rook stood between the siblings, addressing the crowd with sweeping arms.

"Place your final bets! Here are the rules." The twins listened to the man while keeping their eyes glued to one another. When one moved in the slightest, the other twitched as well with anticipation for what was to come.

"First off, no weapons! Second, no low shots to the groin! Lastly, the fight will last until one gives up or passes out." The man gave each twin a look. "Are those rules acceptable?"

"Absolutely." Jacob said, cracking his knuckles. Evie gave a curt nod, opting not to say a word. The Rook nodded and raised both hands above his hands. "All bets are final! Are you ready?"

The twins stared one another down with deep intensity. They have spared many times in the past and knew how the other fought. It would be a tough match considering the circumstances, but neither had any thoughts of giving in to the pressure early on. Their minds had been made up the moment their coats were removed.

"Ready?"

Evie shifted her weight and brought her arms up to guard her face. Jacob rolled his shoulders and neck, cockiness evident in his every feature.

"GO!"

The Rook barely stepped aside fast enough as Evie hurled herself at Jacob. Her fist was cocked back and aimed for his exposed face. The man was faster than she thought and blocked the attacked by swinging his arm to knock the punch away. Evie was stunned for a split second which Jacob used to throw a punch of his own that connected with his sister's cheek.

Evie felt the blunt force of the punch and stumbled backwards. Her vision swam for a moment, but she was able to catch Jacob shuffling in while bringing his leg up to kick her in the stomach. She prepared herself mentally as she recollected herself. When the kick was inches from her chest, she ducked under and grabbed Jacob's ankle. With a mighty heft, she jerked his foot upwards to throw the man off balance. He fell backwards, landing on the ground with a cry of pain.

The crowd went nuts over the clever trick and cheered Evie on. Jacob growled and quickly got back to his feet. His sister was waiting, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Jacob took the less tactful approach and circled his sister. Neither were willing to attack until the crowd had come down from the hype.

Once everyone had gone back to before, Jacob made the first move and advanced forward to grab Evie. She sidestepped behind him to knifehand him in the neck. There was a sting of pain where her hand had hit, but Jacob pushed through and grabbed her before she leapt away from his range. She yelped as Jacob placed one hand behind her back and the other hand twisted on of her arms behind her. He tried to shove her downward until her face was mere inches from the ground. His knee dug into her lower spine for extra holding power.

Evie used her free hand to keep her body from getting pinned, but Jacob was heavy and brute force was not her strong suit. The more she pushed, the more her arm shook under the weight that was keeping her from raising up. Her muscles strained from the pressure to the point of exhaustion.

The crowd was going crazy, shouting at Jacob to end it all while Evie's betters clutched their heads in grief. Their money was as good as gone.

Suddenly, she got a not so bright idea, but at least it was better than waiting for her arm to give out on her. She drew her chin to her chest and grit her teeth. With all her might, she snapped her head back to connect with Jacob's face.

She heard a cry of pain and felt something drip onto her neck. Jacob's grip loosened which provided the perfect opening for Evie to yank her arm away and roll to the side. She rubbed her throbbing her head while she tried to stand on wobbly legs. The pressure on her spine left her lower half unsteady and trembling.

When Jacob stood up, he was wiping blood from dripping from his mouth. His twin had head butted him hard enough to break the skin on his lips and smash his teeth down on them for good measure. He just shook it off and raised his arms up this time.

Evie rushed forward and sent out a flurry of attacks at once. From precise punches to expert kicks, she kept on the heat for as long as she could. The hold still made many of her attacks weakened as opposed to when the fight first began. To add on, a bruise was blooming on her cheek from the punch she had taken.

Jacob blocked every barrage with timing that was almost inhuman. The calls from his Rooks drove him forward and numbed the stinging pain from his mouth. He knew that if he could take Evie's attacks and played defensively, the older sister would tire herself out and her could make his counter attack.

His plan was working so far. Evie's movements had slowed down considerably and the fire in her yes from before was becoming less and less as their fight went on. Jacob was receiving a beating as well, some of her attacks slipping past his blocks and making contact with their intended target. His own stamina was draining quickly. If he stayed on the defensive much longer, he wouldn't have enough energy to make the finishing blow.

It had become a battle to see who was going to cave first.

Evie broke her attack and jumped away. Her breathing had become labored and her chest heaved for air that she spent on her offensive hits. She had let her anger blind her from fighting smart. Not to mention she was using all her pent up fury in foolish endeavors at knocking her beast of a brother off guard. All it would take was a couple of well aimed hits and it would be all over for the female assassin.

Jacob finally caught a break, but came out a mess. All the blocking had left him ready to keel over from trying to avoid any brutal blows. He had waited to long on the defensive and knew that he couldn't only attack so hard from here on out. The only logical option was to go for it and hope for the very best.

Without thinking further, both twins let out a warrior cry and rushed at one another in a last ditch effort to end the brawl. Evie cocked back her fist while Jacob shuffled in for a kick. Neither paid much attention to the other's attack and focused solely on their targets on the other's body.

At the same time, both boot and fist had hit their targets right on the mark. Evie had a foot burrowed into her stomach while Jacob had received and uppercut to the jaw.

The twins fell backwards and met the ground in sync with one another. Both stared up to the sky while the Rook's cheering died to nothing.

There they sat without anyone uttering a word. All the malice, anger, and distrust melted with the dying light of the sun. The day was ending soon, and with it the petty squabble that had caused so much trouble to begin with. There sat two twins in complete silence and shock at what had just taken place.

Suddenly, Jacob began to laugh. It was hoarse from fatigue, rough around the edges, but all the same music in Evie's ears. Something inside of her stirred up feelings of nostalgia from a time when she wasn't so hard on the outside. It was a time when their father used to smile, a time when home was a house in the country, and Jacob and Evie would play endlessly till the sun was streaked the same golden rays that it did now.

It was also a time of loneliness. A time when Evie was shunned in their little town for wearing boy's clothing. A time when Jacob was struggling to understand who he truly was and what he wanted to be in life. It was when their father had stopped smiling and sent Jacob and Evie to George where he would only visit on their birthday or other such holidays. Those were times where they wish they could just grow up already.

Evie could feel a laugh bubble in the back on her throat. Soon, it joined her brother in his joyful chorus. Though there were days where she wished she could turn back time to those bittersweet days, she knew that it was much better this way. When she thought of all the people she had met, the friends she made, and even the emotions she had begun to feel again from her childhood, she couldn't stop laughing.

Tears brimmed in both their eyes, for both were thinking the exact same. The Rooks had dropped their bets and walked away from the pair of fools lying on the ground. They wanted to leave them to their madness in peace and go home to their families.

* * *

It was awhile before the siblings sat up and gathered their forgotten clothes. They were too tired and injured to move, so they opted to lean against the crate and put themselves in order. Evie had buttoned up her vest and let her coat hang on her shoulders while Jacob put back his shirt and vest. His top hat rested on his lap while he copied what Evie did with her coat.

They sat in comfortable silence while the watched the sun sink lower from the sky. The pair were content with their invisible wall of no noise for a couple of minutes until Jacob sighed and dusted the brim of his hat.

"Remember when you fell in love for the first time?"

Evie hummed and closed her eyes. "A scruffy baker's son with the cocky smile. I remember him often." She curled into her coat and her lips curved upward. "Yes, and I can never forget."

Jacob could picture said boy as a full fledged adult, taking over his father's work, starting a family of his own. It made the gang leader wonder what it must've felt like being born normal, with no obligations to be anyone or anything great. What was it like to have a father that wasn't a teacher?

"Hey, Evie?"

"Yes Jacob?"

The man leaned his head on his sister's. "Do you remember the sunset back at our old house?"

The woman didn't shy away from her brother's show of affection instead she smiled brighter and answered back.

"Yes, and how father would tell us why the sun went down each day?"

Jacob chuckled and nodded. "He always ruined our imagination, but I still believed that the sun wasn't a big ball somewhere far away." he recalled happily. "Remember when father offered to make me an assassin-"

"-and I begged to be one, too?" Evie finished.

"Mmhm. I can still see father and how he lit up like Christmas that both his children were going to follow in his footsteps..." Jacob trailed off and felt a pang of hurt. "Well, at least one of his children."

Evie shook her head and leaned on her brother's shoulder a little more. "No, we both did it, together."

There was a pause between the two. It wasn't awkward, it wasn't deafening, but instead it was filled with the bustle of London. It was filled with the work that had been done, the work being done, and the work that had yet to be finished. Whatever may come, the Frye twins knew that the future was as vast as the sky before them.

Once the moment of silence had been appreciated, Jacob began to pat out a steady beat on the ground. Evie picked up on the beat and began to hum along.

" _Rain, rain, rain, must you fall?"_ Jacob sung with his low voice. It was a cadence that the two had made up long ago. The song was used as their secret message to one another, but was now being sung as a lullaby for the night that was drawing closer.

Evie carried to the next line with a higher pitch that was less gruff than her brother. " _Sky, sky, sky, why must you sleep?_ "

" _Even though the sun wants to laugh,_ "

" _Or the light wants to dance?"_

The two joined their voices for the next line. Their words lifted on the breeze and carried an air of love in every line.

" _Do as you wish, for I could care less!_

 _As long as I know that you'll come tomorrow,_

 _And as long as you let me be_

 _I'm happy beyond words!"_

Once more the two took turns singing the last words with contrasting styles that somehow worked between the twins.

" _And even if you don't come back,"_

" _There's someone to keep me company."_

" _And her name is,"_

" _And he's called,"_

Both looked each other in the eye and sang the last line.

" _Evie/Jacob!"_


	18. (AN) Requests are open!

Hi everyone, Graepearl again!

As you know, I love requests.

I do a ton of them and I really like hearing from you guys what you want to see.

To my main point, I have decided to open up a whole bunch of request positions to you guys! There are a couple of rules for the requests:

 **No lemons (I can't write the dirty deed for shit)**

 **They can be AU's or pre-done prompts from Tumblr**

 **NO TWILIGHT AU'S FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY!**

 **No ship bashing**

 **If you want some kind of reference to another fandom, PM me so it's a surprise to everyone else**

 **Just have fun with it!**

The requests will be open from here till I decide that I have enough. That could be never, that could mean tomorrow, so send them in before it's too late! Have a wonderful day!


	19. Proposal Problems

**Sorry that I couldn't update for a while, but guess what happened? I passed all my finals! Please don't get too mad that I blew off writing for studying!**

 **So many of you responded to the call to action. I'd like to thank all of you for sending me some great results! But there was a common theme among all the requests: Henry and Evie romance.**

 **I have decided to do a whole bunch of writing just based of their relationship. I hope yall' are ready for the coming feels.**

 **Let's kick this off with "Proposal Problems" or why Jacob's wife is the greatest wingman ever.**

 **PS: After this chapter, all the stories will be set after Starrick's death. I think it's time to move on, don't you think? Remember, after this chapter.**

Jacob sat watching his daughter play with some of her friend's in the park. It was Evie's turn to take on missions and requests, giving Jacob enough time to spend with his little girl. They had gone to lunch, walked around the streets, said hello to a few gang members, and even bought Annie her own top hat that resembled her father's to a T. To say that her father wasn't a little emotional about it was an understatement. He was going to make a fine gang leader out of his little girl yet.

Speaking of his daughter, she was growing to be an athletic eight year old. Her baby face was starting to loose it's chubbiness and become defined. The once short legs had been grown out of and was gaining some muscles working some simple jobs with the twins. She was even able to keep up with some of the boys that tried to intervene with Annie and her friends. If anyone tried to mess with her small group, she would use her developing skills as an assassin's shadow to scare them off.

Jacob wasn't one to force a profession on his little girl, but he really hoped she would come train with him full time. He could see Evie and him showing her the ropes, welcoming her to the Brotherhood, teaching her about the world. It made him giddy to start soon.

Instead of confronting her, he restrained his excitement and tried to be content with what he had right now. Having a daughter was enough for him. He wasn't going to force his occupation on Annie just like his father had done to him. If she wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, he would make sure she wasn't going off to her apprenticeship on an empty stomach. When they would eat together, Jacob would ask her about everything Mary and her did, making sure to drain every last detail from his girls. Yes, he would remain content with any choice she decided to make.

But being a housewife was out of the question. There was no way she was going to be one of those trophy women in their fancy dresses and doll makeup.

Jacob chuckled at his own overthinking of the situation. The poor man (or woman, he wasn't one to judge) who asked to marry his little girl was going to be given hell whether they wanted a decoration or they truly do love her.

All the thinking about the future and watching Annie play tag with her friends had distracted him from someone coming up the path that Jacob's bench was positioned in front of. Once that person did come into close proximity, he took a glance in the direction of the presence that the person was giving off.

Jacob looked back to Annie for a moment before realizing who the presence was. He snapped his attention back up and set his full gaze of the person. Walking with a book open and charcoal in hand was Henry Green.

The youngest Frye stood and grinned like a madman. He extended out and arm to catch the Indian's attention. "Greenie! Out for a walk, I see!" Henry looked up at the call of his name to see Jacob. He smiled his coy smile and closed his book, as well he stashed away the charcoal. "Hello Jacob. Are you doing well?"

Jacob patted his shoulder and nodded. "I'm fit as a fiddle." Henry quirked an eyebrow up in suspicion. "I don't think I've heard that one used before." The twin shrugged and motioned for Henry to sit on the bench with him. "I made it up after I saw a fantastic performance the pub one time. The fellow had talent beyond my years."

Henry chuckled and took a seat next to Jacob. "Don't sell yourself short, Mister Frye. You have quite the knack for it yourself." The gang leader smirked and waved his friend off. "Your charms won't work on me, Greenie. Save it for the fairer sex and politicians."

The older assassin hummed in agreement and leaned back into the bench. "Are you planning on teaching Annie someday? I bet she'd enjoy such a hobby like music." The Frye shook his head. "She already begged Evie to show her the ways of the piano. Just like her mum, she was persistent in learning."

Mr. Green chuckled and sighed. "I wonder how that will work out. Evie doesn't see herself as a very nice teacher."

Jacob eyed Henry for a moment before throwing his arm across the back of the bench. He could tell something was off just by the way the older male spoke in such a longing tone about his sister. The dark skinned man was always the glue of the assassin trio that kept on a level head and his feelings in check. If he wasn't in top form emotionally, it was obviously something big. With a tilt of his top hat he began his interrogation with a question.

"Why so down, man?" Jacob motioned to the sky. "The sun is shining, children are laughing, not to mention we are going to be taking back all of Lon-"

"I want to marry Evie."

The youngest twin paused mid appreciation of the lovely day at the bold statement. At first, he didn't know what to make of the situation other than he was right the whole time. He could tell from the start that the two were going to be close, but now that it had escalated this far he wasn't quite sure how to put everything into words. For once the man of endless wit was speechless.

He knew he had to say something to at least make an effort to break the awkwardness. After multiple attempts at trying, he came up with something stupid.

"I told her so." Henry stared at Jacob with a quizzical look. "You did what?"

Jacob mentally slapped himself. He took a second to recollect his thoughts before clapping Henry on the shoulder. "What I meant was I knew you want to pursue a relationship with Evie for a long time." The brother gave his flustered companion a pat. "You and Evie both keep dancing around the topic and everyone knows it."

Henry let out a dry chuckle. "It was too obvious, wasn't it?"

"Indeed it was. Some of the Rooks even asked me when the wedding is. They still do sometimes." Henry gave him another strange look that made the gang leader feel as if he screwed up. Jacob took a moment to think of his next words. Once he had them, he continued to make the situation more and more stressful for the other party. "But the good news is that Evie is the only other person one who doesn't know!"

And that was what made Henry shake his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it. Even your Rooks could see it!" Jacob tried to smile past the tight position he was being put through, but it was beyond fake. He wished his sister would come swooping in and take care of her hopeless admirer. Even that might not work because she would be a mess right beside Henry, creating a much bigger inconvenience for her twin. Jacob would burn all of his top hats to end his current suffering, whatever it took to make sure that he could walk away without making things worse.

"Oh, hello dear!"

As if an angel had descended from the heavens to remedy the plight of the young man, Jacob looked up to see his wife striding down the park path. She waved with a radiant smile that was a beacon of hope even on the darkest days.

Her husband couldn't be happier to see her at a time like now.

Jacob waved back and stood up to welcome Mary with his arms outstretched. "Just the woman I wanted to see!" She smiled and accepted the embrace by entering his arms gratefully. "Good, because I'm tired of chasing you down throughout the whole bloody city."

When the two broke away, Mary noticed Henry sulking on the bench that Jacob was sitting on. Her motherly instincts kicked into high gear telling her that something was wrong and needed major fixing. She turned to Jacob who had been smiling awkwardly the entire time she had been observing the current situation. It only grew when she narrowed her eyes at him and put on her serious face.

"Jacob, why does Mister Green look as if you kicked a dog into the pond and spat on it as it drowned?" she asked with her hands on her hips. The man rubbed the back of his head and looked quickly between Henry and Mary. "Well," he started, "Greenie is...ummm?"

Mary rubbed her forehead with one hand and kept the other on her hip. She mummered under her breath "I turn around for one second, and this is what happens. Evie was right all along about your need for constant supervision." Jacob scoffed and took off his top hat, laying it over his heart in a dramatic fashion. "I don't need someone watching me day and night. I'm a sensible adult who can take care of himself!"

His wife just shook her head. "What about when Annie and you snuck out just the other night to steal your sister's journal? Tell me again what happened the next?"

Jacob grumbled and looked away from Mary's disapproving face. "It was nothing! Evie and I had a little fight, that's it!" He put his top hat back on and readjusted it to perfection. "She was the one who threw the first punch, by the way."

Mary gave him a low-key glare. "You wouldn't have gotten punch if you had just let her personal belongings be." Once she had finished with her moment of disdain, she faced back up and looked over to Henry who was now at full attention to Mary's presence. "Was he like this when he lived under Evie and you?" He shrugged her shoulders and gave her a sympathetic look. "It was mostly tame, but try dealing with their fighting on the train."

The woman giggled and took a seat next to the Indian. "Oh really?" She pointed to her now angry husband and chuckled into her fist. "That man is the reason for my daughter's new and _interesting_ eating habits." She laid a comforting hand on Henry's shoulder. "Not to mention when he comes home at night, he tracks mud everywhere!"

Jacob choked a little and turned on Mary. "It's not not my fault! Annie just knows that I'm a respectable man to look up to!" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, you always make me clean up the tracks everytime I make them. I'd say that's fair."

Henry gave Mary an amused look and loosened up from his stress. "I could go on all day about some of what he did before you came along. You should've seen his room on the train before he moved out." He leaned in and whispered in her ear, but Jacob could hear with his eagle vision. "I swear I saw something moving when I attempted to search for a book he borrowed. Let's just say I gave up after a time."

The top hat wearing man had enough of their gossip and began to walk away. "I can't believe this for one second! Even my wife has turned against me!" He huffed and stomped away. "I'm going to go play with my daughter!"

With that, Henry and Mary watched as Jacob pouted and walked away from the bench as if he had gotten a slap on the wrists. They couldn't help but laugh at his childishness in the way he couldn't handle being teased, and how couldn't they help themselves? After the two calmed down, the blonde turned back to Henry and tried her best to be as open and accepting as possible.

"Now, please tell me what is making you so distressed."

Henry lost his joy and dropped back into a more somber mood. "I...I want to ask for Miss Frye's hand."

Mary's face broke into an ear splitting grin. Her feature lit up, but kept a certain level of mature control. She patted Henry's shoulder and cocked her head to the side. "That's wonderful, Henry! I always knew that you two were the right fit from the moment I saw you together!" she practically chirped like a bird.

Her companion on the other hand seemed to sink deeper into uncertainty. "I appreciate the praise, Mary, but I don't think you understand." Mary lost her cheer and leaned a little closer in order to provide a small amount of comfort. "What about asking the woman you care for to marry you call for unwanted praise? Is something wrong with you?" She let a hands rest on her lap in a concerned manner. "Is something wrong with Evie?"

Henry shook his head. "There is nothing wrong with Evie." His hands had clasped together, tightening up till he could almost see the whites of his bones against the skin over his knuckles. "The problem lies with me."

Mary hummed to herself and looked up to see her husband joining the group of children and Annie. They all rallied together to take the man down and Jacob played along with a smile on his face. The children shrieked with joy at having the chance to unite and defeat someone much taller than warmed any mother's heart to know that their children are confident in their own abilities. They feel like that their children could do anything beyond that woman's own lifespan, something extraordinary.

There was also something charming how Jacob handled them with care. While he did put up a smidge of a fight, he never went all out. Mary knew about Jacob's line of work and the kind of things he was able to do, what he had done in the past.

It put a smile on her face that he never took things farther than they needed to go with his family life.

"Are you afraid perhaps that she'll reject you?"

Henry stiffened at the accusation. He looked up to see Jacob and the children, tumbling into the grass in a fit of laughter and victory cries. Annie pounced with the grace of her father's twin and landed on Jacob's chest. He lost his breath from the impact, but still ruffled the little girl's hair and chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Jacob was thinking the same things as you." Mary admitted. Henry rolled his eyes and gave a dry laugh. "I can't imagine him getting cold feet, not matter what the circumstances."

The woman shook her head and basked in the warmth of the sun. "He was a stuttering fool the whole proposal through. He had written the whole thing down, practiced it till his voice went hoarse, yet when it came time he couldn't even catch a single breath." She closed her eyes and recalled Jacob's voice trying to stay calm under the pressure of what he was asking.

"The poor man almost fainted in my arms. I thought I would fall over if he did." she giggled before turning to Henry. He looked at her as she smiled brightly against the sun rays. "Listen closely, and please don't forget this when the time is right."

"Okay, I'm listening."

Mary looked back towards the children and Jacob and beamed. "Even if you can't find the right words, that doesn't mean she'll never understand how you feel about her." She looked down at the ring gleaming on her finger. "Trust me, she knows how you feel through everything that you do. Evie doesn't need a fancy speech or flashy piece of jewelry to prove that someone cares for her and thinks about her wellbeing."

The blonde looked up again and closed her eyes. "Sure, a ring is nice and it may take a little talk to convey some of what you feel, but the rest is up to you two to figure out for yourselves."

Henry felt a weight on his shoulders start to vanish. While part of it was still there, it didn't bother him as much as it had before he had come to the park. Instead, he was filled with a new determination to set out and complete what he wanted to do.

He stood up from the bench and stretched out his arms. "I see, I guess that leaves me with one thing to do. All that's left is to find the time and place." Henry made a step to walk away from Mary, but paused for a moment to acknowledge her. "Thank you for the advice, I feel a little more at ease."

Mary smiled and stood up from the bench as well. "Just remember to take your time and don't rush things." She stepped forward and pulled Henry into a small hug. "Just know that Jacob and I are here for you if you need anything at all." When they parted, Mary gave him a small smirk that oddly resembled Jacob's. "Besides, I will be your sister in law when Evie says yes."


End file.
